When you are dealing with children there are no hard and fast rules. A child’s ability to understand safety rules and to put them into practice depends on a number of things including how old the child is, how the child has been educated or even how confident the child is. To help a child learn any set of rules it is important to go through them and explain why you want the child to remember them. There is no ‘one-size-fits’ all but here are a few suggestions.
| S | SECRECY - Sexual abuse thrives in secrecy. Children find it very difficult to tell anyone that they are being abused by an adult or another child. Talking to and listening to your child is the best prevention. |
| M | MONITOR - your child for signs that they are not happy. Be alert to the warning signs that they may be being abused. |
| A | ATTENTION - Be aware of who is paying attention to your children and who their friends are. Don’t ignore any unease you feel about people showing interest in your child. |
| R | RESPECT - your child’s wishes if they don’t want to be with someone or to stay somewhere. Discuss with them why they feel this way. |
| T | TALK - openly to your children about keeping safe; and if your child does confide in you, listen calmly and be re-assuring. |
