Talking to friends and family about prevention

By not being afraid to talk about the issues, with each other and with our children, we become better at understanding the steps we can take to keep our children as safe as possible.

There are no hard and fast rules, but here are a few suggestions on things to think about and how to start these important conversations with your family and friends.

	Secrecy Sexual abuse thrives in secrecy. Children find it very difficult to tell anyone that they are being abused by an adult or another child. Talking to and listening to your child is the best prevention.
	Monitor Monitor your child for signs that they are not happy. Be alert to the warning signs that they may be being abused.
	Attention Be aware of who is paying attention to your children and who their friends are. Don’t ignore any unease you feel about people showing interest in your child.
	Respect Respect your child’s wishes if they don’t want to be with someone or to stay somewhere. Discuss with them why they feel this way.
	Talk Talk openly to your children about keeping safe. If your child does confide in you, listen calmly and be reassuring.

These SMART rules can be downloaded from our Parents Protect website where you can get further information and support.

For more advice on how to talk to children about child sexual abuse, see our pages here for Child under 12 and talking to teenagers.