POLOKWANE – Children are vulnerable and need protection. Be it from adults, other children, friends, family or strangers.
Child Protection Week is celebrated in South Africa from 28 May to 3 June and many residents do not even know that it is an annual occurrence.
“Children need to be protected at all costs. This is a fact and the natural response for many is that it is a ‘no-brainer’. Unfortunately, we live in a world where the exploitation of children is an everyday occurrence, where children being harmed no longer shocks us and where not everyone is concerned with protecting them and keeping them safe,” Sandenbergh says.
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She explains that it is the adults in children’s lives’ responsibility to be aware of what is going on so that not only our own children, but also our neighbours children can be protected.
“As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to destroy a child. If enough people do not pay attention, we are allowing the abuse and destruction of our children. Paying attention and being vigilant is a necessity when it comes to protecting children.”
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STOP have put together some safety tips that can help you to start playing this vital role:
1. Consider replacing any personalized items like rucksacks, lunch boxes and other items that visibly show off your child’s name to people they don’t know and which makes them an easy target for predators.
2. Make up a family code word. If you have sent someone to pick up your child – they should be aware of what the code word is so your child will know not to leave with anyone who does not know the code word. Alternatively, if your child is at a friend’s house and somebody or something is making them feel unsafe, they can call you and say the code word to you over the phone so you will know to get them out of that situation.
3. Say no to body secrets. When a child is sexually abused, they can often be told not to tell their parents about what has happened to them, and to keep it a secret between them and the abuser. Teaching your children to never keep ‘body secrets’ is important and they should know to tell you immediately if somebody has touched a part of their body and asked them to hide it from you.
4. Tell your child that if they are being followed or chased by somebody, that they should start running in the opposite direction to the car. Doing this will buy them a few crucial moments, to hopefully get away, as the suspicious car turns around.
5. If your child is feeling lost or unsafe, there is no guarantee that there will be a friendly shop owner or police officer around to help. The next best thing is to tell them to find a mother with kids if they are in danger or alone.
6. We often pass children having tantrums in adult’s arms. In fact, we have seen it so many times that a lot of us have become immune to it. Teaching your child to scream out words that would alarm others can be very useful if they ever end up in a dangerous situation. Phrases such as ‘Who are you?’, ‘Help!’, ‘Leave me alone, I don’t know you!’ and ‘Where’s my mom and dad?’ … these will all arouse suspicion and alert others to the danger.
7. Tell them that if a stranger tries to take them, all manners are out of the window – and they are allowed to hit, scream and make a scene in order to attract attention. Tell them to not stop until someone starts paying attention.
8. Teach them the key emergency numbers like Police: 10111, Childline: 08000 55 555, SA Human Trafficking Resource Line (Emergencies): 0800 222 777.
“These are only a few tips, but we hope that they will start to help you equip your child with the tools to stay safe and to draw attention when necessary. We do not want to raise a paranoid generation, just one that is vigilant and empowered to act wisely in dangerous situations. It is easier to raise strong children than it is to repair broken adults. Prevention is always better than cure.”
For more information or safety tips you can visit the STOP website.
