Practical Information For Parents  
 

On Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

The Middle School IN TOUCH Program dedicates one or two sessions each year to teach middle school youth (parents are encouraged to attend) “how to avoid or respond safely to dangerous or abusive situations. The program (Out Of Harm’s Way) is built on the premise that students have the right to feel safe and should be given the skills and information to navigate safely in the world.”

“The Goals of the Personal Safety Curriculum, Out Of Harm’s Way:

  • To improve the knowledge, self confidence, and assertiveness skills of students so that they will be able to recognize and resist exploitive or dangerous situations.
  • To help students create safe interpersonal boundaries online and offline by developing and using their personal power with both peers and adults.
  • To teach students how to recognize and respond to their instincts/inner alarms and act protectively.
  • To strengthen students’ support network so that they don’t face problems alone.
  • To help students talk to a trusted adult when they are troubled, confused or have been victimized.
  • To motivate students to follow personal safety rules, develop responsible behavior and good judgment to prepare them to handle more independence and autonomy.
  • To give students opportunities to use the critical thinking and problem solving skills that will help them evaluate people and situations that they may encounter.
     
     

    All material taken from Curriculum Overview, Introduction -  page 1
    Out Of Harm’s Way Personal Safety Curriculum

 In addition to the personal safety curriculum offered for the Middle School Youth (and the parents who attend), the following websites provide information that every parent should be aware of.

 Website # 1: -  STOP IT NOW! MINNESOTA -

          Article # 1: “Child Sexual Abuse: Facts About Abuse and Those Who Might Commit it.”
          Instructions to the article:
–  Home Page
                                                          Left Column – click on Facts About Child Sexual Abuse And Prevention
                                                          On this page, look to the article listed in the right column
          Article # 2 :  “Create A Family Safety Plan”
         
Instructions To the article: - Home Page
                                                         Go to Help For Parents in the left Column
                                                         Go to the bottom of the page that comes up, to Recommended Reading For Parents
                                                        
Click on article

Website # 2: - National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

          Article # 1:   “Know The Rules” Describes Four Basic Safety Messages For Teens
          Instructions to the article: -
Home Page
                                                        Go to bottom of page and click on More Publications at the bottom of the page
                                                       
Scroll down to Know the Rules section
          Article # 2:  “Know The Rules… General Tips for Parents and Guardians”
         
Instructions to the article:   Scroll down from the above article.

 

 

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This page was last update on 05/06/2008