Sexual offenders do not have a particular profile, and could be anyone. With schooling in full swing, Children’s Rights’ groups are urging parents to educate their little ones about inappropriate behaviour by people around them.
According to a recent study titled ‘Out of the Shadows” South Africa ranks 15th out of 40 for its measures to protect children.
But more needs to be done to safeguard the most vulnerable.
Children’s Rights groups says there’s a high prevalence of abuse at schools.
Parents should be more alert.
Dr Shaheda Omar of the Teddy Bear Clinic says: “Parents should debunk the myth that there is a sexual abuser’s profile. As a parent in your head if you have a picture of what an abuser is, if you think an abuser has bad personality traits that’s not the case there is no profile for child abuse. Parents need to understand a child abuser would want to be around children.”
Topics around body image should be tackled as soon a child is able to speak.
“We go out there and we teach your body belongs to you but we don’t actually rehearse this with the children or role play that with the children ….not okay. This conversation needs to be at home, there needs to be continuity outside of that home context within that learning environment by educators,” says Omar.
Often educators are not trained to identify a red flag.
This is a reminder to listen to your child.
But also remind them constantly that no-one should touch them in an inappropriate manner.
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