2. Definition of CSA
Child sexual abuse is a widespread problem that negatively impacts the victims,
families, communities and society. Child sexual abuse described by Americanspcc.org
is, “A type of maltreatment, violation, and exploitation that refers to the involvement
of the child in sexual activity to provide sexual gratification or financial benefit to the
perpetrator.” “It includes contact for sexual purposes, molestation, statutory rape,
prostitution, pornography, exposure, incest, or other sexually exploitative activities,”
(Americanspcc.org).
3. Child Sexual Abuse Statistics
Over 58000 children were sexually abused last year.
One in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn eighteen years old.
8.3% of reported child abuse cases were sexual.
34% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members.
12.3% of girls were age ten or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization, and 30% of
girls were between the ages of eleven and seventeen.
96% of people who sexually abuse children are male, and 76.8% of people who sexually abuse
children are adults.
325,000 children are at risk of becoming victims of commercial child sexual exploitation each year.
Caregiver Alcohol or drug abuse is a child abuse risk factor putting kids at much greater risk for
being abused.
The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is twelve to fourteen years old,
and the average age for boys is eleven to thirteen years old.
In 2016 1045 cases of Child Sex Abuse were reported in Oregon to the Department of Social
Health Services.
-https://americanspcc.org/child-sexual-abuse/
4. “Erin’s Law”
Erin’s law was adopted by 31 states out of 50 including Oregon. Oregon adopted the law in
2015. In 2015 President Obama signed the federal version of Erin’s law providing federal
funding for schools to use, however release of those funds are still pending.
Erin’s law requires that each school in the state implement a prevention-oriented child
sexual abuse program that teaches prek-12th grade age appropriate techniques to recognize
child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult, school personnel all about child sexual abuse and
parents and guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance,
referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families.
For more information on Erin’s law please visit http://www.erinmerryn.net/
5. Columbia County, Oregon
In Columbia County 9 schools were contacted to identify if they included
an age appropriate curriculum around child sex abuse in their educational
program.
3 out of the 9 responded.
1 out of the three of 9 reported no current curriculum being included,
noting they sent a proposal for the curriculum “Safer Smarter Kids” to the
school district and have received no response. This school reported some
of their staff having gone through the curriculum “Darkness to Light,”
which was taught by the Amani Center. 1 of the 2 remaining respondents
reported using a curriculum called “Child Protection” in grades
kindergarten-6th and the 3rd one redirected the call to the district noting
no current curriculum that they are aware of being used at this time.
6. What If We Could Decrease our own States Rates of
Child Sex Abuse by Implementing the same Actions as
Vermont?
In Vermont a pilot study was done after they saw a 900% increase in the number
of cases.
Advocates joined together with the support of their governor, to establish a
working group and through collaboration wrote the “Integrated Action Plan for an
Abuse Free State.”
The Action plan called for Vermont to target Individuals, Families and
Communities.
7. Individuals, Families and
Communities
It starts with early childhood using early childhood educating programs like:
Training Teachers and Staff in educational settings with the program “Darkness to Light.” -
https://www.d2l.org/education/
Incorporating age appropriate curriculum pre-k to 8th grade with programs like,
“Safer/Smarter Kids, Wee Care, Care for Kids, Safe-Teens and Personal Body Safety.” There
are different programs and the school should research which one is best for them.
In addition, including community outreach programs like, “Outreach to individuals who
are registered sex offenders and offering counseling and support, having family resource
centers, including Adult-directed prevention programs such as “Darkness to light” and
“The Enough Abuse Campaign.” –www.EnoughAbuse.org
Including accurate information around sexuality such as anatomy, physiology, the sexual
response cycle and relationship building.
8. Promoting Protective Factors
Individuals
WWW.NCTSN.ORG notes protective factors as:
Children and their parents learning basic language and skills around age
appropriate body awareness.
Teens gaining social emotional intellect and empathy such as body positivity,
assertive skills and knowledge and awareness.
Adults gaining knowledge on what to look for in kids who are or have been
possibly suffering from CSA such as through resources like “Stopitnow.” -
http://www.stopitnow.org/ohc-content/tip-sheet-19
Offering “A preventative approach to recruit self-identified pedophilic and
hebephilic men to participate in a research and treatment projects such as
Germany’s Project Dunkelfeld,”
(https://learn.nctsn.org/course/view.php?id=444). This program offers a free
confidential treatment center. -https://www.dont-offend.org/
9. Promoting Protective Factors
Families
Articulate Family Norms/shared values such as (Language about body parts, age child
will bathe themselves, rules around children sleeping in your bed, choices for kids
around hugging/kissing relatives, children’s natural curiosity around body self
exploration, parental changes in physical expressions of affection per life stage, parental
reaction to child self stimulation (masturbation) and ways to support a balanced
perspective of your children’s sense based enjoyment (taste, touch smell & hear) by
discussing possible dangers and healthy sexuality.
Creating family safety rules (When visiting others, traveling and when alone with an
adult) as well as how to debrief with their children afterwards.
Learning how to choose safe care providers.
Understanding the role and issues of kid on kid abuse.
- https://learn.nctsn.org/course/view.php?id=444
10. Promoting Protective Factors
Communities
Communities having access to background checks.
Sexuality education that is in line with National Sexuality Education
Standards. -www.futureofsexed.org/nationalstandards.html and
http://www.futureofsexed.org/documents/josh-fose-standards-web.pdf
Offering community resources that includes family engagement in early
identification and places to for families to go for services. (Amani Center,
Columbia Community Mental Health, GOBHI, DHS, Options, Maple Star,
Head Start, Healthy Families, Parent Education and Support, CASA, etc.)
11. Vermont’s results after
Implementation
The number of founded child sexual
abuses declined by half within 23
years.
The number of juvenile perpetrators
declined from 260-120.
12. So what if we can decrease those
numbers even more?
By adding the questions around sexual assault and child sex abuse into our weekly
questions along with the PHQ-9.
By having parent psycho-education groups around risks and protective factors, age
appropriate knowledge around sexuality, and identifying and creating family rules and
safety plans.
By collaborating with the Primary Care Physicians in the community to include those
questions regularly in their appointments with children and their caretakers.
By adding brochures about child sexual abuse and helpline numbers in our lobbies
(Creekside, Child haven and GOBHI) formatted for children and their families as well as
offenders.
By creating a work group of professionals and advocates in the community to share
ideas, knowledge and resources on how to educate and safeguard our children.
By contacting Amani Center and Columbia County School Districts and identifying
barriers of Erin’s law implementation.
14. Quote
“I cannot say whether things will get
better if we change; what I can say is they
must change if they are to get better,” –
Georg C. Lichtenberg.
https://www.inc.com/david-van-rooy/33-awesome-quotes-to-inspire-positive-
change.html
