Monroe

To the editor:

The blog seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/preventing-sexual-abuse-seattle-mama-doc-101/ has an excellent link, in the Dec. 12, 2011 entry, to an article titled "Protecting Your Children: Advice from Child Molesters." The information was developed and written by child molesters in treatment. It begins: "What is Child Sexual Abuse? Child molestation usually begins with a sex offender gaining a child's trust and friendship. The offender then begins 'testing' the child's ability to protect himself by telling sexual jokes, engaging in horseplay, back rubs, kissing or sexual games."

The fourth paragraph states:

"Research has demonstrated that most of our school-based child abuse prevention programs do not prevent children from being abused and have little impact on reporting. The reason for the lack of impact on abuse is that children are not in a good position to protect themselves from adults, especially if the adult offender is a parent or a caretaker. Given the way child molesters operate, it is imperative that adults, not children, become educated about child abuse, supervise their children more closely and take action if they suspect someone is abusing a child."

The last paragraph speaks in the voice of the child molester stating: "If you believe I have molested your child or any other child, don't try to handle it yourself. I will always promise you that it was the first time and that I will never do it again. I will be lying and I'm good at it. Call the police. The best thing you can do for your child, and my past and potential victims, is to report me to the authorities. If I molested your child, I'll do it to someone else's child unless you stop me."

The article recommended three books which I found to be outdated. A good book for educating children about child sexual abuse is "My Body's Private" by Linda Walvoord Girard. An excellent online resource is: www.shepherdstherapy.org.

I encourage every parent and grandparent, and anyone who genuinely cares for children, to read the entire article at seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/preventing-sexual-abuse-seattle-mama-doc-101, and take one step forward in becoming more educated about child sexual abuse. As stated in the article, the imperative is that adults get educated about child sexual abuse. We need to break the silence, and take action, bringing light to child sexual abuse. The burden is not the child's alone. It rests on us all.