Start the conversation:
Here you will find tips on how to talk about preventing sexually aggressive crimes,
whatever your setting may be.

One of the best ways to stop sexually aggressive crimes is to open
the conversation and talk about it with the people in your life.

When you openly talk about the prevention of sexual abuse among
your peers, you are creating a safety bubble of education around
yourself and your family.

When you are surrounded by people who know how to see
the red flags and act appropriately, you are more likely to stop
abuse before it even happens.

You may be a mother, talking to her children on how to stay safe.

You may be the trusted friend, teacher, family member,
religious leaders, co-worker, roommate, classmate, or residential
advisor who a survivor has chosen to disclose to.

You may be the person at a party who sees someone slip something
in a drink or pressuring someone to go home with them, or...

you may just be an advocate who is open to discussing such a difficult
subject among your peers, thus allowing prevention education to spread.

Talk ing about it with your peers

Maybe it came up in the news.

Maybe you heard of a case in your town, school, or office, or maybe...

When you are someone who can talk about sexual abuse, you enable more survivors to feel empowered to
get the help they need, and you

Has someone disclosed
abuse to you?

When someone discloses abuse, the most important thing you can do is just listen.

Commend them for their bravery and say empowering statements like

• “thank you for telling me,” and
• “you are so strong.”

It is important not to ask any leading questions or details of the event so as
not to intefere with any future police investigations.

Instead, ask open ended questions like

• "what happened next?"
• "can you tell me more?"

all while reassuring that they are brave and safe for disclosing abuse.

Learning as much information
as you can at this point,

without prying,

can help if you decide to make a police report about the incident.

The fewer times the victim has to disclose the abuse, the less traumatzing it will be.

It is also important to remember that if the person disclosing is under 18 you are most likely a Mandated Reporter by most  state laws and are legally obligated to make a police report.

To learn more about how to make a police report and what to do when somone discloses abuse, click HERE to download these FREE information pamphlets.

Talking about it with kids-...

Having "the talk" with your childre can be a much anticipated and nerve wracking moment for parents.

It can be even more awkward when you are not the parent of a child who asks you a simple question about sex, such as a parent, babysitter, teacher, or other trusted adult.

It is normal for kids to start aksing questions about sex at a young age (click HERE for our free flier on healthy sexual child developement).

So how do you handle these situations?