Preventing child abuse is extremely important and a risk that many have a heightened awareness of because of proliferation in the media and political agendas. If after reading the outline you feel that you or someone else is at risk please seek help from a trusted individual to help protect the generations after us. Many studies have shown that children who are truly abused in some form during their lives have lots of problems/insecurities to overcome as adults and may be prone to abuse or have violent episodes.

I. Potential risks for abusive behavior
A. Inquisition by children re: reproduction, genitalia, bodily curiosity
1. Risk: answering inappropriately, using self as ‘mirror’ or teaching aid
2. Prevention: referring questions to be answered later with father/mother or other adult present, relaying topic appropriateness or non to child for understanding of why no answer at the time. Allow them to write out questions for father/mother or therapist to answer later.
a. keeping good physical boundaries i.e. No excessive wrestling, tickling without shirt on, etc.

B. Forgetting age appropriateness
1. Risk: child sounds/talks like an adult, very perceptive, curious and adult may want to answer child like an adult
2. Prevention: always being aware of age appropriateness for topics, television, and internet browsing.
a. Have child learn internet safety, again, delay responses until they are thought out – if question arises refer to knowledgeable/authoritative person (i.e. therapist) for clarification of how you want to respond or relay potential responses through another adult as a sounding board.

C. Bathing/washing up
1. Risks: child may want to run from bathroom to room naked, parent may have to take a shower – risk potential for child to spy parent unclothed, risk potential for parent to invade child privacy wittingly or unwittingly
2. Prevention: set boundaries and rules ahead of time – child must take towel and t-shirt and underwear into the bathroom for putting on immediately after bathing, child not to come into parents room w/out knocking, parent to lock doors, dress prior to emerging from room.

D. Anger
1. Risks: inappropriate expression of anger i.e. yelling, screaming, cursing, throwing, hitting
2. Prevention: provide alone time if necessary, let child be aware of feelings of frustration or anger and that parent may need time for ‘cooling down’, never take out this on child
a. help spouse also be aware that marital discord can contribute to unrest, depression, anger and bitterness and that these emotions exuding from caregiver can influence children. Seek counsel if needed. Interrupt the chain of events prior to them becoming something out of control.



E. Poor coping skills/low self-esteem
1. Risks: parent may look to child for comfort, reassurance, acceptance – can result in poor boundaries, roles between parent and child
2. Prevention: awareness of self, emotional state; therapy if warranted, medication

F. Interpersonal Relationships
1. Risks: affairs, inappropriate sexual relationships, abusive relationships – verbally or physically
a. these types of relationships are often pervasive – sexual relationships, especially if secretive can become obsessive and inappropriate interactions/conversations may or may not be witnessed by children, same for abusive ones – altercations may possibly be witnessed by children
2. Prevention: Get out! If one is not strong enough to leave these damaging relationships on their own they should seek help to do so immediately.

G. Alcohol (ETOH) or Drug Abuse (Illicit or Prescription)
1. Risks: maladaptive coping skills that can lead to a sense of euphoria and/or dysphoria. Potential exists for sexual or physical abuse to occur due to a decrease (or increase) in sensitization of emotions or occurring events/thoughts.
2. Prevention: Abstinence and/or treatment of the addiction if such exists

H. Support system availability
1. Risks: If there is no support system/person available for times of trial, temptation, confusion, sickness, pain or curiosity one will turn to coping skills – whether adaptive or maladaptive that they already have in place to deal with their situation, including their children
2. Prevention: Set up support. For those who have ‘no one’ a therapist, social worker, attorney, doctor or other professional - of these someone will always agree to be contacted whenever necessary. Individual may need counseling to assist in coping.