WHAT I WISH THE ADULTS AROUND ME HAD KNOWN TO PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

See The Facts on Child Sexual Abuse: Statistics and References Below

For immediate release

Contact: Angee Jenkins

In Los Angeles:

661.297.0009

“WHAT I WISH THE ADULTS AROUND ME HAD KNOWN TO

PREVENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE”

Alissa Lukara, Founder and President of Lifechallenges.org, Gives Tips in Support of April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month

and Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Los Angeles, CA – April 2, 2007 -- In support of April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Alissa Lukara, founder of www.lifechallenges.org and author of the newly released, Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul, has provided parents, caregivers, family, friends, educators and anyone who comes in contact with children, an invaluable collection of tips to prevent child abuse in our country.

Lukara was sexually abused from the time she was three until she was 11 years old. The abuse not only impacted her life, but her health—providing a major trigger for her 12-year bout with a debilitating illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In her memoir, Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul, she tells of reclaiming her life from both abuse and illness while offering a gift of inspiration, resilience, courage and compassion to the 39 million survivors of child abuse in our country today. Now, Alissa offers another gift, the gift of “hindsight”—what she learned firsthand in her healing process as an adult that might have prevented the abuse as a child.

Lukara’s bold attempt to raise the voices of abuse victims comes at a time when the numbers for child abuse are at epidemic levels*:

There are currently 39 million survivors of child abuse in the U.S.
Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of abuse and neglect. While 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the US, experts estimate that the actual number of incidents of abuse and neglect is 3 times greater than reported.
Every 2.5 minutes another American is sexually assaulted.
4 children die every day as a result of child abuse -- 3 out of 4 of these victims are under the age of 4.
Of the reported rapes of children under 12, 90% of the victims knew the perpetrator.

What adults need to know:

Say “No more”and support young people in saying it: Family secrets perpetuate the cycle of abuse. Parents who have been abused themselves can help prevent the abuse of their children by speaking out about their own abuse, saying “No more,” to their family, friends and support people. This helps stop the cycle and start their own healing.

Adults need to listen to their instincts—and explore further. If the adults in Alissa’s life had been better informed, had known what to look for, one of them might have recognized signs of the sexual abuse. Adults can reduce the risk of sexual abuse by acting on —but not over-reacting to—their own suspicions about people, situations and a child’s safety. They can educate themselves about abuse and what signs to look for in a child and get to know local agencies and crisis help lines to call for advice and support.

Adults need to encourage young people to listen to and trust their inner knowing—and to let children know that when something feels “off,” it’s okay to say “no” and to reach out to trustworthy adults for help.

Empower children to believe in themselves, their own power and potential. Shower children with approval. Express your appreciation for them regularly. Alissa, like many children, was taught that no matter how she was, no matter what she did, she wasn’t good enough, and that the only way she could get the love she craved was by “pleasing people”, by “being a good girl”—even in the extreme, when this meant being sexually abused by her father. This mindset weakened her self esteem as a child, led to a misguided sense that she “deserved” the abuse and reduced her ability to reach out for help. Adults need to acknowledge their children’s unique gifts and let children know they are loved, lovable and “enough” just as they are.

Honor feelings and offer creative outlets to express feelings. Adults need to provide a respectful forum for the expression of children’s feelings, to listen without judgment or analysis—even when children express their helplessness, rage and shame. Adults also need to show children and teens how to be responsible only for their own feelings and choices, not for another person’s, and to offer a creative outlet for the expression of children’s feelings, such a journaling, collaging and painting.

For these and more resources on child abuse prevention and overcoming the trauma associated with life’s challenges, please visit www.lifechallenges.org or www.ridinggrace.com.

About Alissa Lukara and LifeChallenges.org

Lukara is president and founder of Lifechallenges.org, a nonprofit website that provides individuals in 97 countries worldwide with the self help tools they need to cope with and transcend adversity. Featured in the top selling SARK’s books (over 2 million in print)

and recommended on more than 150 websites, Lifechallenges.org answers the call to

heal and empower those who face adversity and hardship. Lukara’s work has appeared in numerous publications including Conscious Women, Conscious Lives, the secret of salt: an indigenous journal, and Ashland Magazine. Lukara has lectured before hundreds, drawing on her personal healing experiences and the larger perspective she gained from them.

The Facts On Child Sexual Abuse and References

The Facts On Child Sexual Abuse

There are 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America today.
Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of abuse and neglect. While 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the US, experts estimate that the actual number of incidents of abuse and neglect is 3 times greater than reported.
4 children die every day as a result of child abuse -- 3 out of 4 of these victims are under the age of 4.
Of the reported rapes of children under 12, 90% of the victims knew the perpetrator.

It is highly likely that you know a child who has been or is being abused:

Experts estimate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before their 18th birthdays. This means that in any classroom or neighborhood full of children, there are children who are silently bearing the burden of sexual abuse.
1 in 5 children are sexually solicited while on the Internet.
Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under.
The median age for reported sexual abuse is 9 years old.
Approximately 20% of the victims of sexual abuse are under age eight.
50% of all victims of forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling are under age twelve.
Most child victims never report the abuse.
Sexually abused children who keep it a secret or who "tell" and are not believed are at greater risk than the general population for psychological, emotional, social, and physical problems, often lasting into adulthood.

It is also likely that you know an abuser. The greatest risk to children doesn't come from strangers but from friends and family:

30-40% of children are abused by family members.
As many as 60% are abused by people the family trusts- abusers frequently try to form a trusting relationship with parents.
Nearly 40% are abused by older or larger children.
People who abuse children look and act just like every one else. In fact, they often go out of their way to appear trustworthy to gain access to children.
Those who sexually abuse children are drawn to settings where they can gain easy access to children, such as sports leagues, faith centers, clubs, and schools.
“It can't happen in my family. I could tell if someone I know is an abuser.” Yet in more than 90% of sexual abuse cases the child and the child's family know and trust the abuser.

The effects on our society:

Consequences to children and to our society begin immediately. Child sexual abuse is a direct source of a number of problems facing us.
70-80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use.
One study showed that among male survivors, 50% have suicidal thoughts and more than 20% attempt suicide.
Young girls who are sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents.
More than 60% of teen first pregnancies are preceded by experiences of molestation, rape or attempted rape. The average age of the offenders is 27 years old.
Approximately 40% of sex offenders report sexual abuse as children.
Both males and females who have been sexually abused are more likely to engage in prostitution.
Approximately 70% of sexual offenders of children have between 1 and 9 victims; 20-25% have 10 to 40 victims.
Serial child molesters may have as many as 400 victims in their lifetimes.

www.ridinggrace.com www.lifechallenges.org

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