As a Clinical Sexologist, it is my goal to help people become more sexually healthy. In my practice I often work with women who have been sexually abused during their childhood and/or youth. The consequences of such abuse can be devastating and include addiction, eating disorders, teen pregnancy, mental health disorders, delinquency, and sexual problems. Sexual child abuse is prevalent in our society and this will not change until we as adults take overt action.

Research shows that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before their 18 birthdays. Only 10% of child sexual abuse cases are committed by strangers meaning 90% of these incidents involve an adult known by the child and/or the child’s family. This is a chilling statistic and cannot be ignored. As adults, it is our responsibility to protect the children in our community from sexual abuse so that they can grow up to lead healthy productive lives. They are our most precious resource.

Stewards of Children is a revolutionary, research-based sexual abuse prevention training program developed by the non-profit Darkness to Light. It educates adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to the epidemic of child sexual abuse. Adults who participate in Stewards of Children training will learn how sexual abuse affects our communities and about the long-term and often devastating effects that sexual abuse has on individuals. Most importantly, participants will leave with simple, proactive strategies for protecting children from sexual abuse.

The core philosophy of Stewards of Children includes:

Adults are better equipped to prevent, recognize, and react responsibility because of their maturity and understanding of physical boundaries. Adults are also the author of public policy and practices that impact children. As adults, we need to hold others accountable and set standards of responsibility. If we model attitudes leading to the resolve of sexual child abuse, others will follow.

Community interaction is essential to uprooting the social taboos that hold child sexual abuse in place. Sexual abuse if fueled by denial, fear, and secrecy. Talking, sharing experiences, and problem solving as a community will help dissolve that denial, fear, and secrecy. Stewards of Children creates an environment where child sexual abuse can be acknowledged and openly discussed, facilitating personal growth and action.

Knowing that child sexual abuse exists is not enough to protect children. Awareness without action does nothing for a child who is being abused and may reinforce to the child that he/she is alone in their experience. Protection requires action! We must take action through policy and practices that prevent child sexual abuse. People are valuable and people want to be a part of positive change, by working together we can create such change. However, we stay the course in the face of discomfort, uncertainty, or difficulty.

Consciousness is being aware and awake to what is going on and to the damage it causes. We must talk about sexuality publicly, we cannot keeping brushing these issues under the rug.

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said “we must become the change we want to see in the world,” this holds true for child sexual abuse. We choose denial, fear, and complacency or we choose action.

Personal power begins with the individual; the individual can make a difference. Personal power is the ability to trust ourselves and to act, even when is contrary to the norm of the group. Stewards of Children recognizes that a community’s health is interdependent with the personal power of its individuals. There is no collective growth without persons who are willing to stand-out and take risks.

First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown Asheville is hosting Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children program on 2 Tuesday of every month from 8:30am – 11:30 am. The training is open to the public and is of specific interest among parents, youth sports organizations / coaches / camp counselors, youth service organizations, teachers / school personnel and faith centers.

Protecting Children From Sexual Child Abuse  

During the last month, WNC has seen a number of child sexual abuse cases reported in the newspaper. Child sexual abuse is not just a bad experience; it wrecks young lives. Child sexual abuse can result in addiction, eating disorders, teen pregnancy, mental health disorders, delinquency and/or sexual problems.  

Statistics say 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by age of 18. According to the US Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice report, in 90% of the incidents of child sexual abuse, the child knows the adult, or the child’s family knows the adult.  

As parent, we cannot let the statistics paralyze us. We must take action. Because adults are responsible for protecting children from sexual abuse it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and advocate for our children. During the three-hour training, Stewards of Children, participants learn how to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately to child sexual abuse. Participants receive a 38-page workbook that reviews important information that follows up and reinforces what participants will learn in the workshop. The Stewards of Children prevention training program was developed by the non-profit Darkness to Light.  

If your child is in daycare or an after-school program, let the staff know the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development, has formally recognized the efficacy of a child sexual abuse prevention training offered monthly in Asheville. Participants can gain 3 contact hours of in-service training approved by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development. 

On August 9, 2011, authorized facilitator Kelley Wolfe, PhD, will offer the Stewards of Children child sexual abuse prevention training program First Congregational United Church of Christ, at 20 Oak Street in downtown Asheville. In the September, these trainings will move to the Women’s Wellness and Education Center and be held every 2 Monday of the month, same time – 8:30 am -11:30 am.  

Cost: $30   

All children should be able to grow up to lead healthy, productive lives.   For more information, contact Kelley J. Wolfe, Ph. D.  at 828.301.4460 or mountainsexology@bellsouth.net.