Safe adults often move through the world with a heightened awareness of what could be suspicious behavior and warning signs – this may feel overwhelming. If they never encounter abuse, they could easily become complacent — thinking there is no potential for abuse becau...

Many parents will be spending the next few days assembling (and reassembling) their children’s gifts, and it’s important to be on the lookout for potential hazards, including button batteries and small parts. A couple of safety tips include following age guidance and o...

’Tis the season for giving and receiving gifts, but some gifts are inappropriate for children to receive from adults. Talk to your children about appropriate gift giving – who they should give presents to and who they do not need to give to. Discuss when they should ac...

A few weeks ago, we looked at physical grooming and how predators use it to lure victims. Another type of grooming is psychological, in which a predator spends a great deal of time with his or her victim, showering them with attention and making the victim feel a share...

During the holidays, many people travel to see family. It’s important to be prepared for any dangers of traveling, including human trafficking — and to know the facts about abductions and trafficking. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children ...

A mandated reporter is someone who is required to report suspected or disclosed cases of abuse to child protective services or law enforcement including a wide range of persons from teachers, educators, coaches, to school and parish staff, and clergy. The mandated repo...

The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act was recently signed into law. It criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated images. Anyone who publishes or threatens to publish such images online can be charged with a crime and prosecuted. Websi...

With the widespread use of mobile devices, more and more children are susceptible to cyber bullying, which has far-reaching consequences. Cyber bullying can take many forms, including cruel messages via text or social media, the distribution of photoshopped pictures de...

Back-to-school season is an ideal time to refresh internet safety rules with the children in your care. For example, it is helpful to establish clear guidelines like what types of sites children can visit, apps they can download, and when they can have access to electr...

Having a healthy caution towards adults means requiring all adults to follow safety rules, outlined in policies or codes of conduct, no matter what position they hold in an organization. Adults must also be willing to look at their own behavior and ensure that it is al...