Monday night the FCCPTA sponsored a great webinar featuring Laurie Tasharski, Director of Institutional Abuse Prevention at Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia (SCAN).
The presentation was full of information for parents, teachers, coaches and other folks on several levels. First, much information on the frequency of child emotional and physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. It was useful to learn, for example, that half of sexual abuse comes from peer acquaintances, with a smaller fraction from families or strangers.
A truly noteworthy nugget was that children have a very small rate of false allegations (less than 5%)--children make things up to make themselves look good or heroic, not stories about things that make them feel ashamed.
The focus was on child rights, child autonomy, and preventing harm to children. Practical ideas for parents around how to know what sorts of policies and hiring practices the groups (including schools) have around boundaries, hiring and policies were helpful, along with very concrete words and methods on helping children disclose to a parent (avoid “why” questions, etc.) to ways of helping children have access to hotlines when they are in a crisis of potential self-harm.
For teachers, coaches, scout leaders, faith teachers and others, there was much useful information both on respecting children’s boundaries, allowing children to express themselves, and combating institutional tendencies to protect the institution or to dismiss disclosure of abuse.
See the information on the presentation below hotlines for specific groups of children. An idea with these is to put them in your child’s phone, so that they will have them available if a friend ever needs them.
Many thanks to Laurie, SCAN and FCCPTA VP for Communications Jenna White.
Looking forward to many more FCCPTA webinars to assist local leaders, members, and the entire community.
Robert Rigby, Jr.
VP of Advocacy, FCCPTA
Feel free to contact me for advice or assistance with local advocacy, and send news of the advocacy that you are already doing in your schools and county-wide.
Presentation slides:
Watch the presentation on demand: