Child abuse can happen at any age up to 18, contrary to many parents’ belief that their child needs protection only before achieving age of 10. Court and police records reveal quite a number of abuse cases happening to children who are almost grown up. We need raise public awareness that abuse does take place with children of more mature age, and they need protection regardless of the age. Talking freely with your children is the first step by which they are protected in the majority of cases.
It should be taken for granted that all children without exception are in need to be protected when they are leaving home. When they are moving out of home either on organized group vacation or to stay in sort of camp, it’s important that parents have them informed about certain facts of abuse that from newspapers or from Internet that happened to other children in order to give them awareness. While going out for hostel or their college they should be given proper advice as for choosing the right area and place for their residence which is one of the most important factors able to keep them protected from all possible kinds of threats. But advice is not enough. As a parent, you should provide reasonable amount of monitoring. When your child come back home after being out and away for a period of time, take care to check that all valuable things are at place and see whether the valuables are safely returned by them or not. But better just convince your children not to take valuable things from house when they are going out unless there’s really such necessity. Don’t hire anyone to look after your children without ordering background check on them. Only a professionally done background check on prospective child caretaker can to some extent ensure safety of your children.
Some child abuse prevention programs available nowadays are capable to furnish children the information that may be vital for their security. Teach your children habit to put identification marks on their valuable things which could increase the chance for the thing being returned to its lawful owner in case it’s lost. Valuables bearing identification marks are less likely to be stolen for fear of being recognized.
Again, the treat of being possibly abused can be minimized or anticipated only if parents care to maintain friendly relationship of trust with their child and encourage him or her to talk freely and discuss whatever they feel concerned about.
During the adulthood most people are aware of sexual abuse cases, each of which leads to being registered in public records like sex offender lists. Proper sex education given to every child will make the kid aware of some forms of sexually abusive behavior from behalf of the adult so that they would primarily be protected via knowledge.
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