Were You Abused?
If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church, you are not alone. We are here to help you. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and a Delaware Sexual Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. Help is available nationwide. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer Delaware
Reasons to call
Please call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 or fill out our confidential contact form and a lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your case. Delaware Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
What steps can be taken to protect children from sexual abuse
The common stereotype of a sexual abuser is of a sinister stranger any parent would immediately distrust. But in reality, there’s no way to tell from the outside who is a threat, and abusers can be someone the family knows and trusts. The most effective ways to protect children is to teach them to set boundaries, and to speak up immediately if something unsavory happens.
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The most elementary part of keeping kids safe is to be involved in their lives. Ask questions, talk to them, find out whom they’re spending time with. Ask about teachers, coaches or parents of other kids who associate with the child. A child who’s spending lots of time with an older person their parents have never heard of is at more risk than one who tells about all aspects of their lives.
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Screen caregivers. This one seems obvious, but many parents are afraid to ask probing questions, or they assume that anyone their friends trust is okay. Ways to keep tabs include contacting references, asking the person to undergo a background check, searching the National Sex Offender Registry, and dropping in on daycares or babysitters to make sure everything normal. Asking caregivers blunt questions (such as “have you ever harmed a child?”) may yield informative results, since people with bad intent may respond with hostility or evasiveness.
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Teach boundaries. Children are sometimes expected to submit quietly even to things they’re not comfortable with, such as hugs from aunts and uncles and tickling from grandpa. In fact, teaching children to set boundaries and speak up for themselves can make them a less easy target for predators. Teach children that they can politely say no to touching that makes them uncomfortable, even if it’s something harmless-seeming like a hug.
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Don’t tell kids they always have to be polite - if someone tried to abduct them you’d want them to scream, shout and make a scene, so let them know it’s okay to do that sometimes.
Be a safe person to talk to. If someone is grooming your child for abusive purposes, they should feel comfortable telling you immediately. Talk openly about abuse-related stories you see in the media, so they will see you’re not too embarrassed to discuss it. Remind them that if something bad ever happened to them, they wouldn’t be in trouble for telling you—even if they were breaking a rule or doing something “bad” before the abuse happened.
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Know the warning signs. These include anxiety, acting out sexually, and acting nervous around a specific person. If you suspect something unsavory is going on, ask open-ended questions (like “was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?”) and don’t act overly emotional or panicky. Abusers thrive on making children feel like they can’t speak up for themselves and can’t talk about what happened. You can keep them safe by creating an atmosphere of honesty and openness.
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