CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION

For several years Moharimet has used Sexual Assault Support Services of Portsmouth to help us implement aspects of the health curriculum that are related to developing an ability in children to both identify and prevent sexual abuse. Sexual support services has been offering sexual abuse prevention programs throughout schools in Rockingham, Strafford, and southern York counties since 1989. They have reached approximately 28,640 students. The staff and volunteers have conducted presentations utilizing either puppets or video/role play activities in grades Kindergarten through grade sixth.

At Moharimet we have involved children in grades 1-4. Over the past several months, the agency has taken a close look at the integral concepts of their program while looking at the research by Dr. David Finkelhor of the Family Violence Laboratory at UNH and other leaders in the field.

RESEARCH RESULTS

The research conducted to determine which factors contribute to children's retention and understanding of sexual abuse prevention and understanding of sexual abuse prevention concepts include the following:

• Parental involvement is necessary through educational workshops or the provision of informative literature;

• The material is best retained when presented in different formats.

• Children will have greater understanding if they are actively involved in the lessons;

• Lessons must reinforce the reality that a perpetrator could be a person the child knows (children seldom retain this fact!)

• Different knowledge is obtained at different ages, therefore it is important to present the material to children of all ages.

• Curriculums are most effective when review lessons are conducted at several times throughout the year.

AT MOHARIMET

• There will be a workshop in preparation for the involvement of Sexual Assault Support Services with the staff on October 9.

• THERE WILL BE A WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS ON THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 21 AT 7:00 P.M.

• THERE WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTED TO PARENTS TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE PARENT WORKSHOP.

• THE RESEARCH REFERRED TO IS AVAILABLE IN THE MOHARIMET LIBRARY

• THE CURRICULUM WILL BE PRESENTED TO CHILDREN THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 4.

Dennis Harrington	Carol McEntee
Principal	School Counselor/Psychologist

Last update on 31-Mar-99 at 10:09 PM.

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This page is edited by David K. Taylor. Please send questions or comments to editor@orol.org.