One widely used set of safety guidelines for children has
been developed by KIDSCAPE
, a private organisation active in protecting children. It takes the form
of a ten-point code to help parents protect their children from a range of
offences from bullying to physical or sexual abuse.
- To be Safe
- Teach children that everyone has rights, such as the right to
breathe, which shouldn't be taken away.
- No one should take away their right to be safe.
- To Protect their Bodies
- Children need to know that their body belongs to them,
especially parts covered by their swim suit.
- To Say No
- Most children are taught to obey adults, without question. Tell
them it's all right to say no to anyone that tries to harm them.
- To Get Help from Bullies
- Give them advice on telling an adult (and you) if they are
bullied and how to stand up to them.
- But do remember that sometimes children will fight and get hurt
to protect a possession because of the fear of what will happen
when they get home without it - "My Mum will kill me for
letting the bullies take my bike. It cost a lot of money."
- Tell them that keeping themselves safe is more important than
property.
- To Tell
- Get them to tell you of incidents.
- Children can be very protective of parents and might not tell
you about a frightening occurrence because they are worried about
your feelings.
- To be Believed
- Children need to know that they will be believed when they go to
an adult.
- Although sometimes an immediate reaction can be "I told you
so!", this won't help the child resolve the problem and may
stop them seeking help again.
- This is especially true in cases of sexual assault, as children
very rarely lie about it. If the child is not believed when they
tell, (or thinks they won't be) the abuse may continue for years.
- To Not Keep Secrets
- Teach them that some secrets should NEVER be kept, no matter who
they promised not to tell. Offenders often tell the child that the
kiss or touch is "our secret".
- This can confuse a child who has been taught to keep secrets.
- To Refuse Touches
- Explain that they have a choice as to whether they should be
kissed (and touched) by relatives or friends.
- They should not be forced to hug or kiss anyone.
- To Not Talk to Strangers
- Since most well-meaning adults do not approach children who are
alone (unless they are obviously lost or in distress) teach them
to ignore any approach made by a stranger.
- They don't have to be rude, but to walk or run away and tell you
or a teacher.
- To Break Rules
- Tell your children that they have your permission to break rules
to protect themselves.
- For example, it is all right to run away, to yell or tell lies,
to get away from danger.
Regrettably, what is common sense to parents isn't always common sense
to kids. If you think this fact sheet isn't relevant to your kids, just
test them on each point above. I hope you're not surprised. |
