Believe it or not, it’s already back-to-school time. As a caregiver, you’re likely busy with supply lists, adjusting routines, or supporting a child entering a new grade or school. While you’re preparing them academically, it’s also the perfect time to talk about body safety and abuse prevention.
Best practices to remember throughout the school year:
- Check in often with children. Ask about friends, activities, and classes. Doing regular check-ins helps caregivers notice inconsistencies or red flags that could alert them to trouble. Kids also begin to feel more comfortable bringing up concerns if they know to expect these conversations.
- Be consistent in checking on social media and online usage, including gaming. Revisit the rules that you have set and stick to them!
- Remind children about the importance of boundaries and body safety rules. This helps them know when to say no if they feel uncomfortable.
Many adults think abuse prevention only applies to adult/child interactions. However, peer-on-peer sexual abuse has increased significantly in the past decade. We must consider situations where children are left unsupervised or in unsafe environments—like bathrooms, locker rooms, or during unsupervised transitions between buildings. It’s also essential to establish clear expectations regarding phone and social media use.
Peer-on-peer abuse can include touching, viewing, or sharing pornography, sexting, filming, and bullying. Alarmingly, 44% of these incidents occur at school.
Start these conversations early using the “What If” game. Walk through different situations your child may face and discuss how they might respond. Help them identify three safe adults they can turn to.
Some scenarios may be uncomfortable, so consider using the STOP plan to guide the conversation:
Safety first – Think about their immediate safety. If something makes them uncomfortable, it’s okay to say no and remove themselves from the situation.
Tell someone – Identify a safe adult they could go to for help or to talk to.
Openly communicate – Even if you’re unsure, it’s always better to share your feelings through open and honest conversations with someone you trust.
Praise their bravery – I’m so proud of you for thinking about how to stay safe and for being brave enough to talk about situations like this. You’re doing a great job setting boundaries.
Check out this Back-To-School Prevention Checklist that will help caregivers remember what to do, what steps to take, and how to respond if abuse occurs.
This approach helps kids feel supported while building their confidence to handle tough situations safely and responsibly. Visit https://www.d2l.org/navigating-peer-on-peer-abuse-creating-safe-environments-this-school-year/ to view example scenarios to talk through with your child.