Kids of appropriate ages are taught,through role playing and exercises, how to report and to whom, sexual advances.
I don't know what's out there in schools but it seems like there are a lot of people saying that they were abused and afraid to tell.
There ought to be a school just for potty training, the time when the most child abuse occurs. Aren't there experts in this area?
I didn't see anything in google like this http://www.segnbora.com/topbib.html-- NotSoQuick, Nov 26 2003 95% of all sexual abuse occurs within the extended family http://www.menstuff...e/incestmolest.html [hippo, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Data from 49 States indicate a national maltreatment rate of 15 victims per 1,000 children http://www.gangfree...rg/childAbuse2.html [hippo, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] for hippo: http://www.jeje.nu/...d/predator/face.jpgWhy would anyone want to avoid this cuddly widdle guy? [Amos Kito, Oct 17 2004] This is fairly baked by those lessons when a police officer comes round with a video and does a talk. It was about as specific as I can see parents wanting for infant school children. What was the name of the little grey dog in those police education videos? It could be useful to older kids but it would have to be fitted in with the rest of PSRE (personal, social, religious education). The problem is that the lack of maturity (perceived or actual) that puts young children at risk also makes it difficult to teach them about abuse and for them to help themselves.
Anyway, 'predators' (of the stranger-in-a-raincoat stereotype) are not the main problem. Often it is a family member who can either intimidate the victim or convince them that it is normal behaviour. Education for parents would be more effective in these cases and the methods in the idea would be more suitable. Pre- and post-natal counselling/training in dealing with the stress of parenting could also help prevent abuse happening in the first place. I think this might already be done.-- chud, Nov 26 2003 [chud]'s right - the stereotype of some stranger in a trenchcoat is not only wrong, but detracts from a larger problem (as do certain laws). Most children are abused by someone they trust, and so "stranger danger" is only part of what needs to be taught.
But [NotSoQuick]'s idea isn't so specific to mention this, so it's a tangetial point.-- Detly, Nov 26 2003 Good point about it not usually being strangers. I consider parents and other family members predators too, but that isn't clear.
I think the idea of concentrated exercises and 'practicing' is the key here. I couldn't find any resources that did the same intensity of teaching in this area than is available for driver's ed or even finger painting. The more intimidating the adult, the more necessary the training be focused, often enough, and with 'practice'. Thanks for reading and responding.-- NotSoQuick, Nov 26 2003 So you'll frighten a whole load of kids just for the sake of the 15 children per 1000 who are victims of "maltreatment" (see link) and then completely miss the target anyway because 95% of abused children are abused within their families (see link).-- hippo, Nov 27 2003 "OK kids, look out for rhinestone-encrusted white gloves".
Sorry, not funny I know but I couldn't resist it :-(-- dobtabulous, Nov 27 2003 Actually I thought this was going to be about the Arnold Schwarzenegger film. It's a real problem - The Predator is sort of invisible, and thus quite hard to avoid.-- hippo, Nov 27 2003 There are more, but only one is visible.-- Detly, Nov 27 2003 How can anyone think this doesn't apply to family members as well as strangers? And do you think 15 out of 1000 is a small amount? In the first place that is for kids under 18 years of age. The abuse rate for kids over 12 is significantly less so for kids under 8 the amount would be double or triple. Did you miss the part where it said 3,000,000 kids? And do you have any statistics on underreporting and unreported abuse? Geez, I guess this too emotional for me. I'ts hard not to say what I really think.-- NotSoQuick, Nov 29 2003 random, halfbakery