Five Days of Action
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month! As part of our commitment to protecting the children in our community, we’re joining youth serving organizations across the country by participating in the Five Days of Action — a week-long campaign to increase awareness of child sexual abuse and empower and equip us all to prevent it. By taking part in this important campaign and through implementing abuse prevention practices year-round, we are committing to the safety of all children in our community.
The Five Days of Action enforces critically important habits — KNOW. SEE. RESPOND.— which enables us to understand how and when abuse happens, recognize the signs of abuse, and quickly and appropriately respond to it.
When we embrace these habits, we foster a culture of child abuse prevention — a culture of happy and healthy children.
KNOW: Knowing about child sexual abuse can help us better understand what to look for and how to keep it from happening in the first place.
SEE: When we know the signs of abuse, we can intervene on behalf of children. But it's also important to be able to spot a potentially dangerous situation in our environment so that we can minimize children's vulnerability to abuse.
RESPOND: If you suspect abuse, are you ready to respond? Do you know when and how to report suspected child abuse?
Keeping Children Safe
No one ever wants to have a conversation about child abuse. It's difficult, often emotional and always painful for the child who has been abused and the parent. But hard things have to be done and this is definitely a place where we all need help.
The best time to talk about abuse is right now, regardless of your child's age.
Start by ensuring children know the correct anatomical names for their private parts. Make sure they know how to take care of their private parts, such as wiping after using the bathroom and bathing, so they don't need to unnecessarily rely on adults.
Teach children about body safety and the difference between “okay” and “not okay” touches. Let children know that they have the right to make decisions about their bodies. Empower them to say no when they do not want to be touched, even in non-sexual ways (e.g., politely refusing hugs) and to say no to touching others.
Educate children about the difference between surprises and secrets. Keeping a surprise would be like a birthday party or a holiday gift. These are OK as they are not kept secret for long. Keeping a secret from a parent, especially keeping a secret from a parent for a long time, is not OK. No one should ask a child to keep a secret.
And remember, most child abuse comes at the hands of a person the child knows. Stranger danger is far less common. Your gut instinct is important. If it feels wrong, chances are it is.
If you see or suspect abuse within a YMCA program, or you see or hear about something that doesn't feel right, please contact us. We have a confidential reporting system, hosted by Red Flag Reporting.
If a Child Reports Abuse to You
Believe Them: Let them know you believe what they are telling you and listen
Stay Calm: Fear of your anger or you being upset is why many children do not disclose abuse
Re-establish Safety: Protect them from the abuser and reassure them that they are safe
Get Help: Report abuse to the appropriate agency; medical or emotional care may also be needed
How to Report Abuse
Every county in North Carolina has a Child Protective Services department. (The actual name may vary slightly from county to county.) This is a good first place to start. You can also report to the organization where the abuse happened. And of course, you can always call 911, especially if you need immediate assistance in protecting a child or removing an abuser.