Sex Abuse Prevention Program Wednesday

Decatur Deputy Police Chief Keith Lee sent out this information about a program on preventing child sex abuse, to be held at 6:30 p.m. July 11 at the Decatur High School auditorium.

Child sex abuse is in every community.  You see the statistics and it is difficult to accept that your children and the children in your community are more likely to be victimized by someone they know, someone that you know and trust. 

It can be difficult as parents to decide how to approach your children to educate them without scaring them.  It is up to each parent to determine how they want to approach this sensitive topic with their children.  The impact of child sex abuse on children, families and the community as a whole is bigger than most of us realize. 

 Documented research shows that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18, yet only 10 percent of victims ever disclose their abuse.  The results of sexual abuse reach far beyond the immediate trauma and disruption in a child’s life.   

 The ripple effect of sexual abuse is vast and can lead to depression, drug and alcohol abuse, poor school performance, inappropriate sexual behaviors, eating disorders and cutting.  Abused girls are more likely to turn to self-destructive behavior such as promiscuity leading to teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.  They are also more vulnerable to being commercially sexually exploited.  Abused boys are more likely to turn to aggressive or criminal behavior leading to incarceration. 

 These are not just statistics; these are our neighbors, our friends, and our family members.   The most important thing to remember is that child sex abuse is preventable.  When adults and youth serving organizations learn the risks, know the signs, and understand how to react responsibly, we can change the culture of abuse.

 On Wednesday, July 11, 2012, the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy and The Decatur Police Department will host a “Prevent Now” presentation at 6:30 p.m. at the Decatur High School Auditorium.  The presentation is FREE and for adults, not children. 

The professionals working these types of cases in your community will be your presenters.  You will be given an overview of what is going on in your community rather than just having national statistics thrown at you.  The overall purpose of this presentation is to raise awareness for parents and those who are responsible for the care of children and to give parents options and resources to choose from when making the decision on how to educate their children about this topic.  

Who should attend: Anyone responsible for children.

For questions or further information, please contact us at prevention@gacfca.org.