Understanding childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is critical for both children and their parents. Lexi Koster, an expert in CSA prevention, emphasizes that children may hesitate to disclose abuse if they fear their parents will react violently against the abuser, who is often someone they know. Instead, teaching kids that they are not responsible for the consequences of abuse, and assuring them that they will be supported while the abuser is dealt with appropriately, can create a safer dialogue and empower children to speak up about their experiences without fear.
Kids will believe you when you say things like 'If anybody ever touches your private parts I will make sure something bad happens to them.' This is a big problem because kids are most often sexually abused by people they know and love, like family members.
If kids ask what will happen to this person, you can say 'I'll make sure they get the help they need from trusted professionals, but what happens to them is not your responsibility and it is not your fault.'
It makes sense that, as a parent, we'd want our kids to know that we would do whatever it took to protect them. But at the end of the day, abuse is emotionally complicated for children.
Many times when students are reporting abuse, it's of someone they either live with or see often, making it even more challenging for them to disclose due to fear.
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