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Good Touch / Bad Touch
Another concern has to do with the under-supervision
of older and younger children in shared day care settings. It
can be a mistake to rely on older children to share the task
of providing diversion. According to carefully done studies
cited in the Good Touch / Bad touch website:
“It is a fact that not only
adults who are in trusted and respected positions abusing
children, but children are also abusing other children.
Recent research shows that more than 50% of boy victims
and 20 to 30% of girl victims are sexually abused by
another child. When you consider that 1 out of 3 girls
and 1 out of 5 boys suffer sexual abuse before the age
of 18, this is a large number of children abusing other
children.
In addition, we know that abused children
when left to cope on their own, are acting out in other
destructive ways. They may take it out on themselves, becoming
depressed or withdrawn, trying out drugs and alcohol to
help them cope with their pain, or performing poorly in
their academics. Or they may take it out on others, feeling
better when someone else is hurt through verbal or physical
aggression. Thus the cycle of abuse continues.
We know that adults must help to prevent
or intervene in this problem but aren't adequately prepared
to do so. If we are honest, we compound the problem because
we find the topic of sexual abuse repugnant and are hesitant
to discuss it at all. GOOD-TOUCH/BAD-TOUCH® participants are taught
the signs and symptoms of abuse, how to respond to a child
disclosing abuse; they also participate in a discussion with
a child protective services social worker about the importance
of intervention. Trainees are also taught how to conduct
meetings with elementary school teachers, staff, parents
and others about this critical issue.” Source: http://www.goodtouchbadtouch.com/abousefacts.php |
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