Keeping Children Safe with Rae Luskin

1. Keeping Children Safe with Rae Luskin

2. The Promise • Every child is entitled to a life of promise and possibilities. Unfortunately, every child does not experience a safe, peaceful home. This session features a story of sexual abuse and resiliency and important information about child abuse prevention and intervention strategies.

3. Definition of Child Abuse • Child abuse can take several forms: The four main types are physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect • The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines • Sexual abuse - the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct; or the rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.

4. Signs and Symptoms of Child Abuse • The following are a few of the physical and behavioral signs of child abuse and neglect. Note that the list is not conclusive. Nor does the presence of any of these indicators necessarily mean that a child is being abused. However, the repeated occurrence of an indicator, the presence of several indicators in combination, or the appearance of serious injury or harm should alert you to the possibility of abuse or neglect. • Physical Signs of Child Abuse1. Unexplained burns, cuts, bruises, or welts in the shape of an object2. Bite marks3. Anti-social behavior4. Problems in school5. Fear of adults  • 6. Fear of going home

5. Emotional Signs of Child Abuse1. Apathy2. Depression3. Hostility or stress4. Lack of concentration5. Eating disorders Sexual Signs of Child Abuse1. Inappropriate interest or knowledge of sexual acts2. Nightmares and bed wetting3. Drastic changes in appetite4. Over compliance or excessive aggression5. Fear of a particular person or family member 6. Pain while urinating or frequent urinary tract infections 7. Reluctance to change clothes in front of others 8. Acting in a provocative way

7. Why Children Don’t Tell

8. Prevention Tips for Keeping Children Safe • If we want to create a safe place for our children then we must educate ourselves. • Learn the facts about child abuse. Remember that 85% of the time the child knows and trusts the abuser. • Minimize the opportunity. Avoid situations where people you don’t know will be present and leaving children alone with them. • Talk to your children about safe touch • Talk with your children about how to handle unwanted touch

9. Teach children they have rights over their own bodies • Truly listen to what children say • Supervise children, let them know as adults it is your responsibility to check in and ask questions • Have firm physical and emotional boundaries • Role play how you will talk to your children • Pick out three people for your children to call in case • Know your resources if the worst happens

10. How To Talk To Your Children About Sexual Abuse • Teach children that their body is special and should be protected. • Start Simple and try and use correct terms for body parts • Talk to your child while they are playing, taking a walk, riding in the car, while watching television • Pay attention to your gut • If someone bothers you I promise I will believe you • If someone touches you in a way that does not seem right, it is not your fault

11. Just in Case • If your child comes to you that something has happened • Believe them • Stay calm • Tell the child they did nothing wrong. How proud you are they came to you. • Get them professional help • Call the authorities

12. End this Silent Epidemic • If child sexual abuse is part of your history, do not keep silent. By breaking the cycle of silence, you will break free from the trauma you carry within you and begin an important healing process. And you will help protect other children from suffering the way you did. • There are 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America today. Let the healing and the prevention begin today.

13. What You Can Do • Make sure you have policies in place. • Ask that schools and organizations in your community have child sexual abuse prevention policies, and help with their creation. Ask other adults to do the same. • Bring prevention programs to your congregation or organization. • Let people know that it your organization or congregation is a safe space for survivors • Support legislation that protects children. • Demand that the government put more resources into protecting children from sexual abuse and into responding to reports of sexual abuse. • Call and write your members of Congress. • Write letters to your newspaper.

14. To Find Out More • Illinois Department of children And Family Services www.childabuse.il.org 217 522 1129 • Voices for Illinois Children-Advocacy www.vocies4kids.org 312 522 0088 • LaRabida Children’s Hospital www.larabida.org 773 363 6700 • Metropolitan Family Services www.metrofamily.org 312 986 4000

15. Hotlines • State of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services 1 800 252 2873 • National Department of Children and family Services 1 800 329 5437 • CHILDHELP :offers intervention, information, referrals 1 800 422 4453 • National Center for Exploited and Missing Children 1 800 843 5678 • Rainn: rape, abuse and incest hotline 1800 656 HOPE

16. My Commitment

17. How to Stay in Touch • You can reach me at rae@raeluskin.net or 847 948 0315 • My website is www.raeluskin.net • www.facebook.com/2259333966828#!/pages/Survivor-SOULutions/225939662828  twitter.com/soulutions1www.linkedin.com/pub/rae-luskin/15/2a3/492 • “Our Lives begin to END the day we become SILENT about things that matter. “Martin Luther King Jr.

18. Door of Truth