Talking to your children about healthy sexuality and personal safety are important parts of prevention. Research tells us that children who have positive feelings and knowledge about their bodies, accurate information about sexuality, a sense of autonomy and power over their bodies, and open communication with their parents, may be less likely to be targeted by abusers.  Follow the links below for tips on:

Talking to Your Children - About Healthy Sexuality
Talking to Your Children - About Personal Safety

If talking about these issues raises strong emotions because of your own history of sexual abuse, seek support and resources for yourself. 

Talk to Other Adults

It is also important to talk to other adults about child sexual abuse. It can help raise the consciousness of your community and influence choices about child safety. 

• Ask your school or parent association to hold discussions/workshops on topics such as healthy sexual development, child sexual abuse, and sexual violence. Talk openly about these issues.
   
•  As of July 1, 2011, Vermont schools and licensed child care centers are required by law to inform staff about the prevention, identification, and reporting of child sexual abuse. Ask questions: Have they trained staff about sexual abuse? How do they deal with inappropriate behaviors? What are their policies?

Helpful Resources

• It is especially important that you talk about and be willing to address concerning behaviors in others. For tips on how to do this, read Let's Talk: Adults Talking to Adults about Child Sexual Abuse, published by Stop It Now!^®—a national, non-profit child protection and prevention center.
   
• STEP UP: Protect Children from Sexual Abuse, published by the Vermont Department for Children and Families.