Child Abuse Prevention Doesn’t Stop in April
Each April, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) joins other organizations across the country to honor National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
But now, as the month begins to come to an end, NCMEC wants to remind the public that April isn’t the only time to talk to your children about safety. As numbers of online exploitation continue to spike year after year, talking to your kids about child safety is more important now than ever.
This year, in addition to talking to your kids about online safety and exploitation before it occurs, NCMEC wants you to know about a new, powerful tool to help children regain control.
The groundbreaking platform, aptly named, Take It Down, is available now and allows users from around the world to submit a report that can help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos depicting a child under 18 years old.
We know that having explicit content online can be scary, especially for young people. We want you to know that Take It Down is here to help and that the past doesn’t need to define your future. You can read more about the completely free service on our blog platform here.
In addition to making the public aware of Take It Down this Child Abuse Prevention Month, we also want to remind parents that one of the best ways to keep your child safe from online forms of abuse is to engage them in frequent and simple conversations about healthy relationships and boundaries before exploitation starts.
Consider these three simple NetSmartz tips to get started:
1. Establish Guidelines
When it comes to online activities and electronic devices, be sure to set clear boundaries with your children. This includes deciding on what kind of websites they can visit, apps they can download, who they have access to online and when they’re allowed to have access to different types of devices.
2. Do Your Research & Be Proactive!
Online enticement happens across all online platforms, so be aware of the sites, games and apps that your children frequently use. Teach your kids to spot common tricks used by online offenders and be prepared to spot red flags in online behavior.
3. Get Engaged & Stay Involved
Your kids might not want to tell you everything but ask anyway! Regular conversations about safety can go a long way when it comes to building trust and increasing communication. Get involved with your children’s online activities and respect their interests!
We know the threat of online exploitation can be scary—but talking with your child and letting them know about the resources out there to assist them is a great first step! For more information on navigating these conversations, visit: https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz.
And for more information on Take It Down and how to get started, visit here: https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/.