Stranger Abduction Sexual Assault Survivor and Child Safety Expert Keith Smith Shares 5 Steps You Can Take to Keep Kids Safe
Summary
· Bruises, swelling, pain, rashes, cuts, bed wetting, self-mutilation, excessive weight gain or excessive weight loss; prolonged sadness, depression, sleeplessness, nightmares; combative, defiant acts, avoiding contact with friends and relatives, age inappropriate sexual behavior, drug and alcohol abuse, thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts.The life altering physical, emotional, behavioral and social side effects of sexual abuse, suffered by children into adulthood, last a lifetime.With the personal and societal cost of childhood sexual abuse so high, it’s necessary for parents, grandparents and anyone with responsibility for the health and safety of a child to be aware of 5 Steps You Can Take to Keep Kids Safe.Know the Signs· There are physical, emotional and behavioral signs that could indicate sexual abuse.· Bruises, swelling, pain, rashes, cuts, bed wetting, self-mutilation, excessive weight gain or excessive weight loss; prolonged sadness, depression, sleeplessness, nightmares; combative, defiant acts, avoiding contact with friends and relatives, age inappropriate sexual behavior, drug and alcohol abuse, thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts.· While the presence of some of these physical, emotional or behavioral signs may be associated with, or dismissed as “adolescence,” we should be aware they are well known, documented warning signs of sexual abuse.Step 3.Keith has lobbied government officials to prevent cutbacks to programs serving children and he’s testified before the New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee seeking to eliminate the statute of limitations in civil action relating to sex crimes against children.