As long as there have been differences in power between people, there has been sexual abuse. This manifests itself in different ways in different cultures but the end result is the same. The way we stop it is to give people power, by giving them information. Sexual abuse is something that exists in an environment of ignorance. The more people know about what sexual abuse is, and what it isn’t, the more likely it will be decreased for future generations.
So what are some ways we can change differences in power?
Educate Women
– it’s not as obvious a problem in the developed world but it still an issue. Educating woman around the world reduces sexual abuse, poverty, and over population. Here in the U.S. encouraging girls to play competitive sports, take science and math, and go to college all help change the balance of power.
Teach kids to say NO
– while this sounds counter intuitive to everything a parent wants to hear, learning to say no is important to protecting children and it is a good skill for time management later in life. Being able to say NO to people, for a variety of reasons, gives you more control over your life. Being able to say no to adults may protect your child from being sexually abused.
Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.
