What is child sexual abuse?

• Any sexual act between an adult and a minor or between two minors when one exerts power over the other
   
• Forcing, coercing or persuading a child to engage in any type of sexual act. This, of course, includes sexual contact. It also includes non-contact acts such as exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, voyeurism and communicating in a sexual manner by phone or Internet.
   
• An agonizing and traumatic experience for its victims.
   
• A crime punishable by law.

7 Steps for Parents
to preventing, recognizing and reacting responsibly to child sexual abuse

Step 1. Learn the facts. Understand the risks.
Realities - not trust - should influence your decisions regarding your child.

Step 2. Minimize opportunity.
If you eliminate or reduce one-adult / one-child situations, you’ll dramatically lower the risk of sexual abuse for your child.

Step 3. Talk about it.
Children often keep abuse a secret, but barriers can be broken down by talking openly about it.

Step4. Stay alert.
Don’t expect obvious signs when a child is being sexually abused.

Step 5. Make a plan.
Learn where to go, who to call and how to react.

Step 6. Act on suspicions.
The future well-being of a child is at stake.

Step 7. Get Involved.
Volunteer and financially support organizations that fight the tragedy of child sexual abuse.

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