In Washington County, children who participate in the Safetytown program, if one is offered in their community, receive a little education about sexual abuse, including who is allowed to touch them, where and why.
That's when they're 5 years old.
They may not hear anything else about the issue until fifth or sixth grade, when it's briefly touched on in the D.A.R.E. program.
That's not enough.
Statistics show that one in three girls and one in four boys will be a victim of sexual abuse by the time they're 18.
With those astoundingly high numbers, why are we allowing there to be such little effort at prevention?
Children need to know what's OK and what's not and that they can and should tell if something has happened.
There's a system set up for the people who offended and the victims after the fact but there seems to be little information shared with children, parents or others that might keep children from being vulnerable to abuse.
Programs and people are hard at work trying to help fight obesity, bullying and a number of other social ailments but this seems to be one that is being swept under the rug.
Whether it be through schools, social service organizations or community groups, this is a gap that must be filled.
There are major, lifelong impacts to children who experience abuse. There needs to be a major outcry that there is no education available for all.
