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Questions for Evaluating Child Abuse Prevention
Resource Materials
- Will it capture and hold the interest of the student?
- Is it current, realistic, and up-to-date visually and reflecting accurate statistics?
- Is it age-appropriate? Have individual grade level teachers preview material. Often the
description will indicate a much broader age range than is applicable.
- Is it non-threatening? The guidelines of SS 115.367 require a positive psychological,
problem-solving approach; not relying on a negative or fear-inducing approach.
Specifically avoid "Stranger Danger" type of terminology, and pictures or films
that are very scary.
- Is it too limiting or prescriptive, as opposed to empowering and brainstorming for a
variety of alternative solutions to the problem? Does it tell the audience what to think
or how to feel? If it does, it's probably inappropriate.
- Does it encourage assertive and empowering behaviors? Encouraging students to act in
their own behalf for their own safety and discouraging aggressive or victimizing behaviors
will help accomplish offender-prevention.
- Is it nondiscriminatory? Avoid all the "isms"! (Race, gender, differing
abilities, age, ethnic background, etc.) Does it acknowledge that males and females may be
vulnerable to victimization as well as males and females may be perpetrators or offenders?
Often films and books perpetuate stereotypes, and limit a child's source of support to
"telling parents." In fact, children are most vulnerable to people they know.
- Is it devoid of victim language? Does it encourage students to take responsibility for
their own feelings and behavior? Acknowledging that people make mistakes sometimes, and
can learn from their mistakes, is an important component in breaking down the
internalization of victim attitudes that often make the person more vulnerable to further
victimization.
- Is it sex education? We can accomplish child sexual abuse prevention without being too
graphic or too explicit in language or visual depictions of what sexual abuse is. General
language is important. Use terms to refer to touching that is inappropriate, such as
confusing, uncomfortable or upsetting. Avoid anything that refers to sexual touching as
"bad" touching. Make sure the material does not teach or show "how to"
be sexually exploitative.
- Is it cost effective? Will you be able to use it for several years with as broad a group
as possible?
- Does it protect agency and staff by reinforcing the Protective Behaviors Inc. and
S.A.V.E. concepts and process? Does it comply with the guidelines of Wisconsin SS 115.367?
Created for MMSD's S.A.V.E. Committee
Kelly Donahue, Police Officer
Safety Education Unit
Madison Police Department
(608) 266-4483 |
