ChildAssaultPreventionCD

Welcome! If you are a parent, a grandparent or any adult that cares
about keeping children safe...congratulations! By using this resource,
you have already taken the first step in preventing child sexual abuse,
which is educating yourself about the issue. Although some of the
information in this resource may be difficult to read and process, it is
essential for adults to learn the facts of how and why sexual abuse
happens and to take on the responsibility to recognize and address it.

In the past, safety and prevention information on child sexual abuse
has focused on what children can do to reduce their risk of sexual
abuse. The Collins Center and many other organizations now believe
that it’s unrealistic to expect children alone to take responsibility to
prevent victimization. Caring adults CAN help prevent children from
becoming victims and perpetrators of sexual violence.

Child sexual abuse is a topic not often talked about among adults, let
alone between parents and their children. This creates an
atmosphere of secrecy that perpetrators use to keep their victims
silent. You can change this culture of silence by talking about the
issue with other adults, facilitating comfortable and open
communication about difficult subjects (such as sexual abuse) with
children, and giving positive messages to children about sexuality.
This resource contains information not only about identifying abused
children and reporting abuse, but also about how to be a proactive,
informed adult who can help prevent sexual abuse from ever
happening.

Please click through the links to the right to find out more about how
you can help prevent child sexual abuse. Together, we can ensure
that all children in our community can grow up to lead healthy, fulfilling
lives, free from the shadow of child sexual abuse!

(Please note that the information contained here and in the links to the right is
part of the Collins Center's Child Abuse Prevention Resource CD. If you would
like a full copy of the CD for free, please contact Angie Strite.)