Category: Child Sexual Abuse

Am I being groomed for sexual abuse: image of a wolf
Child Sexual Abuse

Am I Being Groomed for (Sexual) Abuse: 5+ signs to look out for

What does it look like when someone is plotting and planning a not-so-nice future with another individual, adult or child? I discovered the formula for abuse—relational and/or sexual—in Sandy Kirkham’s riveting memoir about her abuse experience at the hands of her youth pastor. Read on if you’re wondering: Am I being groomed for (sexual) abuse?

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Consent 101: The foundation of child safety--image of a chalkboard that says: Only yes is yes.
Child Sexual Abuse

Consent 101: The foundation of child safety

Does your child know what consent is? If you’ve not yet discussed consent with the kids you’re raising, make sure to schedule a time to chat about it before school starts. Because really, consent is the foundation of child safety. When you explain consent to your kids, make sure they also understand body (or bodily)

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Summertime Child Safety Tip: image of boy with Playboy magazine
Child Sexual Abuse

Summertime Child Safety Tip #1: Spot Inspections

Does summertime child safety look different than child safety the rest of the year? Actually, it does. Which is why I’m offering up today’s child safety tip. Incidents of child sexual abuse peak at certain times. After school (ie. before parents or primary caregivers return home from work) Summertime (While parents or primary caregivers are

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Disclosing Child Sexual Abuse: What helps children tell--Image of young mother with two little girls
Child Sexual Abuse

Disclosing Child Sexual Abuse: What helps children tell

When I found six evidence-based recommendations on the topic of “What helps children tell,” a blog post was born! As a survivor of child sexual abuse and a body safety educator in public schools, I’ve got some things to say about each of these suggestions listed on the website of the fantastic child safety organization,

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Help Wanted: What to do if you are living with a sexual attraction to children. Image of a red neon help wanted sign.
Child Sexual Abuse

Help Wanted: What to do if you’re living with a sexual attraction to children

Two recent events led to this blog post regarding individuals living with a sexual attraction to children. Earlier this month,  I attended a virtual lunch-and-learn on the topic of people living with a sexual attraction to children. The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse (out of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of

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Men and sexual abuse: Image of man in dark with head in hands
Child Sexual Abuse

Men and Sexual Abuse

Guest post by Mandi Pierson For the better part of two decades, I have worked with women who have survived unthinkable trauma. I live in central Ohio where sex trafficking is being recognized, and innovative efforts are made to address the issue on all fronts, from demand to treatment and recovery. Having worked in gender

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Blog post about preventing sexual abuse in sports--image of girl leaning on chain link fence
Child Sexual Abuse

Preventing Sexual Abuse in Sports

Guest post by Nicole Braddock Bromley I am overwhelmed and pained by the stories around us of coaches and teachers grooming players and students for sexual abuse. This scenario is every parent’s nightmare and terribly devastating when it happens under the leadership of someone you trusted as a coach and/or school professional. 90% of the

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Child on Child Sexual Abuse blog post--image of sad girl
Child Sexual Abuse

What’s driving child on child sexual abuse?

Child on child sexual abuse is on the rise. When I heard the above fact announced more than once at last year’s Darkness to Light Envision conference, I was concerned. Because growing up, I experienced sexual abuse at the hands of an older, more powerful child. It’s an uncomfortable idea to consider, one child sexually

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Image of teen boy looking at computer at night. Pornography: Why kids are looking at it. It's not what you think.
Child Sexual Abuse

Pornography: Why kids are looking at it–it’s not why you think

Ever since I listened to this podcast episode, I’ve been a bit obsessed. About the current sextortion scheme—I blogged about it here—and kids watching pornography. The statistics on the topic are pretty crazy, so I decided to check out the report mentioned during the podcast episode. The very long report. Since not everyone has as much time on

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Sextortion 101: What you (and your kids) need to know--image of two teen boys on cell phones
Child Sexual Abuse

Sextortion 101: What you (and your kids) need to know

Did you know the FBI—in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children—recently issued a national public safety alert regarding sextortion schemes?  I had no idea all this was going down until I listened to this episode on my friend, Nicole Bromley’s, podcast last week. Wait, do you even know what

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