Leader Education for Child Safety Part Two – Children at Risk

All Children in Our World Are people under the age of 18 Have legal rights to protection from abuse Have legal rights to protection from exploitation

Children at Risk Are persons under the age of 18 who live in an environment where they lack food, shelter, education, healthcare, safety, or love. These children at risk are more likely to suffer from abuse and exploitation.

Children at Risk Where do children at risk live? Slums and Streets Brothels and Orphanages Leper Colonies and Refugee or Internally Displaced Persons Camps Garbage Dumps and Under resourced areas Broken families

Children at Risk How do you define abuse?

Perceptions About Children at Risk In your culture: Are children nurtured? Are children abused?

Perceptions About Children at Risk Nurture Abuse

Perceptions About Children at Risk What does Scripture reveal? Perilous times and perilous men (2 Timothy 3:1-5) The man of God and Word of God (2 Timothy 3:6-9)

This is a Spiritual Battle Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Identification of Children at Risk Child abuse is: Any ACTION that endangers a child’s physical or emotional health and development

Identification of Children at Risk

Factors relating to the family Social and economic factors Children in difficult circumstances

Identification of Children at Risk Consequences of abuse: Physical Health Mental Health Emotional Health Spiritual Health

Identification of Children at Risk Effects on behavior: Behavior changes may indicate abuse that is unseen After abuse, the child will never be the same

Issues Children at Risk May Face Bullying Bullying is characterized by an individual behaving in a certain way to gain power and control over another person

Bullying

Teach children what to do if they are bullied: Ignore Avoid Confront

Bullying Teach children: It is important for them to tell a trusted adult when they are being bullied To be assertive

Issues Children at Risk May Face Domestic Abuse Physical, verbal, or emotional attacks in the home

Domestic Abuse Physical abuse: Hitting, kicking, punching, or hurting a person Trying to control another person’s movement or personal freedom

Domestic Abuse Verbal and emotional abuse: Yelling, screaming, insulting, name calling, or using words to manipulate a person

Domestic Abuse Helpless Afraid Upset Sad Responsible (Feelings) (Behaviors) Child reaction to domestic abuse: Silence Withdraw

Domestic Abuse Warning signs of domestic abuse Behavioral Physical and psychological

Domestic Abuse Teach children: The fight is not about them How to stay safe To talk to trusted adults

Issues Children at Risk May Face Child Sexual Abuse Any sexual activity with a child under the age of 18

Child Sexual Abuse Who sexually abuses children? Who is targeted by abusers? What grooming techniques are used?

Child Sexual Abuse Warning signs of sexual abuse: Behavioral Physical and psychological

Child Sexual Abuse Teach children: How to prevent abuse How to recognize abuse To talk to trusted adults

Child Sexual Abuse Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Symptoms Coping mechanisms

Issues Children at Risk May Face Human Trafficking Buying and selling humans for profit Slavery

Human Trafficking Who buys and sells people? Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. (Philippians 3:2, NIV)

Human Trafficking Who could be trafficked? Men Women Boys Girls Anyone

Human Trafficking Why? Highly profitable Vulnerable people available Crimes often go unreported

Human Trafficking Ordinary people can help by: Acknowledging the problem Educating the community Holding evil doers accountable

Human Trafficking Why don’t victims run away? Torture Severe trauma Traumatic bonding

Issues Children at Risk May Face Girl Child Stigma In many places in the world, women are viewed as being inferior to men In many places in the world, girls are viewed as being inferior to boys

Girl Child Stigma Killed in the womb before birth Killed after birth Unequal chores for girls Less education for girls More likely to be malnourished

Girl Child Stigma Child marriage Dowry deaths Honor killings india-child-marriage

How God Views Women Made in God’s image Given dominion with man over creation Both man and woman sinned

Supporting Girl Child Advocacy Recognize lies leading to unbiblical worldviews Challenge patriarchal world system Show all children their value in Christ

Cycle of Change Change the belief  Change the values  Change behaviors  Change worldview

Care for All Children at Risk Assess needs Immediate care and protection Refer to appropriate social service Follow up

Know the Laws in Your Country Provisions regarding Physical abuse of children Sexual abuse of children Prostitution Child pornography Human trafficking

Know the Laws in Your Country Has your country ratified these international laws? UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Optional Protocol to the CRC on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ILO Convention No.182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor

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End of part two