April is National Child Abuse Month. Make a difference to a child– any child, your child, a neighbor’s child– and get this book. It’s important that children of any age know that it’s ok to tell an adult that someone has touched them inappropriately.
It might seem odd to you to see this post here, but someone reached out to me via my linkedn.com account and mentioned this book: My Body Belongs to Me
Written by Jill Starishevsky is a prosecutor of child abuse and sex crimes in New York City, Starishevshky penned this book to Me to teach children that if someone touches them inappropriately to tell a parent or teacher right away.
Jill Starishevsky
This book is child-friendly and very accessible and speaks to them on their own ground and in their own terms. This highly acclaimed book sensitively establishes boundaries for youngsters in a non-threatening, engaging manner. Think of it as a guide that teaches kids that when it comes to their body, that there are some parts that are for “no one else to see” and empowers them to tell a parent or teacher if someone touches them inappropriately.
Handled quite deftly, this narrative assures children of any age that sexual molestation is not their fault, and by speaking out, the child will continue to grow big and strong. Extremely important is the post-story discussion section entiteld “Suggestions for the Storyteller” to help parents, care-givers, and educators a path to encourage
a comfortable discussion afterwards, thereby helping to prevent the unthinkable from happening to any child.
Given the Oscar-nominated movie now out on DVD, Precious, and Mo’nique’s Oscar win for “Precious”. Mo’nique’s eloquence concerning child sexual abuse, it’s apparent we — as a society– not only need to have a grasp on this discussion, but on this burning issue. Considering that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually molested are not statistics that can be ignored. This is horrifying and would probably be higher if parents and educators made sure that kids knew that they could be safe in “telling” on someone who has touched them inappropriately.
One might think that parents/family, educators and physicians are addressing this matter with our children to keep them tools and help prevent them from becoming victims in the first place. Unfortunately, many parents do not know how or when to begin when it comes to discussing child sexual abuse prevention and so they avoid the discussion entirely. This approach (or lack of approach) puts our children at risk. Finally, there is a tool to make the discussion as easy as.. well as easy as reading a book to a child.
This book enables anyone– from the clergy, physicians, parents/family and also educators to address this issue safely and honestly. The illustrations are well done and the message of what is right and wrong is compelling and encouraging.
My Body Belongs to Me is highly recommended by parents, teachers, physicans and widely used by experts in conjunction with their child safety presentations
Comments and endorsements from other organizations and notables.“With an easy rhyme and attractive pictures, this book will help both adults and children enter into a conversation about a subject that is often extremely hard for anyone to speak about, privately or publicly.” -Pamela Pine, PhD, MPH
Founder and CEO Stop the Silence: Stop Child Sexual Abuse, Inc., www.stopcsa.org“Prevention is key when it comes to children’s personal safety. Kudos to Ms. Starishevsky for taking on this project.” -Kimberley Clayton Blaine, MA, MFT
Licensed family and child therapist, Founder, www.TheGoToMom.TV“The author skillfully captures an extremely difficult subject using simple language any child can understand.” -Christine Louise Hohlbaum
Author, “Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff”This is an important– and necessary– book given today’s world. When you look at “PRECIOUS” and realize that this is happening all over the world– not just the US — and it’s cruel beyond belief for the child because they are told never to tell — and that it’s their fault which destroys the child forever. Give children the power to tell and reinforce it.
Why is this coming up here? Because as a child, I was sexually molested and it haunted me for a long time. I told my mother– yet she did nothing because she didn’t know what to do. I was told to never tell because no one would ever want me. Imagine what it was like to grow up thinking no one would ever want me– and the decades of therapy I have gone through to get to the strength to say, yes I can stand up and fight for others. I have done my time volunteering at shelters and child abuse centers. Here is one more easily accessible tool that will make it easy for you to protect your children– or the children of others.
What’s your “perfect world”?
LPW
Thank you to LivinginaPerfectWorld.com for this post — and her alert to me that April is National Child Abuse Month. You need to do something about this– yes .. you do! it’s important. You can save a child.
Stevie Wilson, LA-Story.com
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