Age, gender or relationship to the child has no limit in defining a child sexual abuser. This was the gist of a recent workshop in Dumaguete on the prevention of child sexual abuse.
The workshop, hosted by the Youth Advocates Through Theater Arts Creative Space as part of the Consuelo Foundation Life Skills Plus program, was also held in partnership with the Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation and the Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Network
It aimed to educate local youth about sexual abuse and how it can be avoided.
It was learned that aside from physical abuse, child abuse can also be done in non-physical forms such as pornography and cyber-sex via webcams.
Games and activities were used to explore healthy boundaries and the “kinds” of touching. The workshop leaders explained that abusers usually start with a “safe touch”, but will gradually move towards the kinds of “unsafe touching” that constitutes sexual abuse.
The rights of children were discussed in detail as were possible responses to suspected abuse. These include listening to the child if they disclose any information about an unhealthy relationship, believing their story, and reporting the situation to authorities that can help protect the child.
One of the most important aspects of the workshop was the healing that took place as the facilitators did their best to explain that abuse can happen to anyone and is it never the victim’s fault. For many young people that have histories of abuse: guilt, shame and victim blaming makes it difficult for them to move and form healthy relationships in the present.
By supporting survivors of childhood abuse, teaching young people about the rights of children and what a healthy relationship with a child should look like and how to respond to situations where sexual abuse may be occurring, future cases can be stopped and ideally prevented all together. (Mallory Tober)
