Talking with Your Child About Sexual Abuse

Talking to your child about sexual abuse isn’t an easy topic to bring up, but it is a topic that needs to be addressed. It is important to really take the time to talk with your child about what sexual abuse is and what to do if they are a victim.

Be Honest & Open

The most important thing to remember when talking with your child about the difficult topic of sexual abuse it so be honest with your child. You want your child to feel comfortable talking to you about these issues. Sex abuse isn’t an easy topic to discuss, but being open with your child will help open up the discussion. Conversations about safety should start at a young age to help them understand. If they do experience sexual abuse, encourage them to always speak up. It is important to be direct with your child and to not tiptoe around the topic. If you show your child that you are nervous, then they will become nervous, making the whole situation much more difficult to deal with.

Provide Education

Providing education is another way to discuss sexual abuse. Teach your children wrong from right and to understand the importance of privacy of their own body. Children need to know that it isn’t okay for others to touch them inappropriately and that it is okay to say no. Stranger danger should be something that is discussed at an early age as well. Education is extremely important when talking with your child about sexual abuse because it will help them really understand the significance of it. Of course, this can be a sensitive subject. Just do your best in making the conversation as comfortable as possible and let your child know that this is a very important conversation, but that they can always confide in you.

Be Open to Questions

Children always ask a lot of questions and this is a time where they may have many questions to ask. Always be open to answering any questions they may have and let them know it is ok to be confused at first and that it is ok to always ask questions. In some cases, you might even have to have the conversation more than once, which is okay too! The goal is for your child to really understand the importance of reporting sexual abuse and encourage them to always speak up, no matter how scared or confused they might be. Creating a safe zone for your child is necessary and they need to know that you can provide them that safety.

If your child has reported that they have been a victim of sexual abuse, always report to the police right away and talk with an attorney. An attorney will help you through the difficult process and offer the legal advice and representation you need.

Edelstein Law Firm

When the unthinkable happens, you want someone to be on your side like a sex abuse attorney Philadelphia. At Edelstein Law Firm, you will work with an experience attorney that will respect your privacy during this sensitive time while still fighting to bring you justice. Dealing with sexual abuse isn’t going to be easy, but you will always have someone on your side when working with the trusted attorneys at Edelstein Law Firm.