Child Abuse Prevention Programs

Child Abuse Prevention

Child Abuse Prevention is the national project for the National Exchange Club and was adopted by the Duneland Exchange Club (DXC). DXC has contracted with Dunebrook to deliver multiple essential programs within the Duneland schools. Below are the programs we support. To learn more about Dunebrook, visit their website at dunebrook.org

Child Abuse Hotline

Child Abuse Signs and Symptoms

2020 U.S. Child Abuse Statistics:

470,297 victims of neglect
101,961 victims of physical abuse
57,963 victims of sexual abuse
39,652 victims of psychologically maltreated
The highest rate of child abuse is in children under age one.
1,750 children died due to abuse.

Source: https://americanspcc.org/child-maltreatment-statistics/

Body Safety

In 2008, DXC contracted with Dunebrook to present its Body Safety program to Kindergarteners through 5th-grade students within the schools located in the Duneland area. The Body Safety Program is critical in helping educate children on how to protect their bodies. Here is a description of the program from the Dunebrook website.

According to the Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute, 95% of child maltreatment is preventable through education. Dunebrook's goal in Public Education is to prevent child sexual abuse by:

Educating and empowering children to self-protect and identify whom they can talk to if something happens,
Teaching educators, parents, and other interested adults in how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to suspicions or allegations
Reducing the social stigma through education and talking more about the problem.

Educating children to be confident, informed, and in control of their bodies is essential. Perpetrators seek out the child who is less secure and less likely to take action against inappropriate actions. All children have to know self-protection strategies.

Body Safety educates and empowers children in Kindergarten-5th grade in self-protection skills and how to access help if something has happened to them or someone they know. It is a powerful, non-threatening, age-appropriate presentation that utilizes an evidenced-based curriculum widely adopted by schools throughout the state. Children learn how to identify and respond to unsafe situations, conversations, and interactions, and most importantly, how to access help.

Stewards for Children

In 2017, DXC increased its financial support to Dunebrook to present the Stewards for Children program to teachers and adults within the Duneland schools.

Here the description of the program from the Dunebrook website.

Keeping children safe is the responsibility of adults. Stewards of Children is a 2.5-hour presentation that educates adults on the facts about child sexual abuse to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately.

Furthermore, Dunebrook's prevention education helps school staff learn how to respond to suspicions, disclosures, or allegations by a third party (e.g., another student).

Education Matters

Education is especially critical for girls, who are even more vulnerable than boys to this crime. According to David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, girls are sexually abused at a rate of four times that of boys. According to the National Sexual Abuse Resource Center, 91% of rape and sexual assault victims are female. (Rennison, 2002). Sexually abused girls are 2.2 times as likely as non-abused peers to become teen mothers. (Noll & Putnam, 2009). The risk continues into adulthood, as more than one-third of women who report being raped before age 18 also experience rape as an adult. (Black et al., 2010).

Early exposure to safety education is critical, as children are most vulnerable to sexual abuse between the ages of 7 and 13. (Finkelhor, 1994) Children learn and remember through repetition. When children see the prevention program every year in school, they gain the courage to come forward.

Teen Safety Matters

DXC once again expanded its financial support to Dunebrook to present abuse prevention education to middle and high school students at the Duneland Area schools.

Here is the description of the program from the Dunebrook website.

Teen Safety Matter is an evidenced based program that works to educate middle and high schoolers about the warning signs of unsafe situations and what actions they can take to reduce risks, stay safe, and access help. The program focuses on helping students understand the different types of abuse and how to help themselves and others. Topics include physical, emotional and sexual abuse, grooming, bullying, online safety, consent, relationship abuse, accessing help/disclosures and human/sex trafficking.

Blue Ribbon Campaign

Prevention of Child Abuse Awareness month is in April and is recognized by blue ribbons. Blue represents the bruises children experience when they are physically abused, and this campaign was started by Bonnie Finney, who lost her grandson to abuse. Here's Bonnie's story www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-blue-ribbon-a-symbol-of-awareness-for-child-abuse-prevention-month-118908849.html

DXC brings awareness of child abuse by hanging banners and a giant blue ribbon in the Duneland communities, selling blue ribbon packets (yard sign, blue ribbon, blue ribbon lapel pin, and pinwheels) and in December decorating a Christmas tree in downtown Chesterton in blue to continue to bring awareness of child abuse.

Programs