New Research to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

SEATTLE, March 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, one in four girls and one in 20 boys report experiencing sexual abuse before the age of 18. In support of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Committee for Children is launching its sixth annual Hot Chocolate Talk® campaign to help families normalize safety conversations about sexual abuse prevention. The 2023 Hot Chocolate Talk resources incorporate new child safety research and help parents and caregivers teach children how to recognize, report, and refuse unwanted interactions in person or online.

"As the biggest influences in a child's life, parents and caregivers have the power to teach children how to recognize unwanted interactions and report them to trusted adults," said child safety expert and VP of Education, Research, and Impact at Committee for Children, Tia Kim, PhD. "The Hot Chocolate Talk resources provide research-based tips to help families create spaces where kids feel safe and comfortable asking questions and having hard conversations, such as disclosing abuse."

Committee for Children has more than four decades of work in the field of child protection. The organization's Hot Chocolate Talk How-To Guides equip parents and caregivers with research-based strategies to build trust with children in everyday moments, teach simple, age-appropriate body safety rules, and create warmth and comfort when talking about serious topics. Committee for Children recently updated the How-To Guides with new research-based language and age-appropriate tips for kids of all ages. Visit HotChocolateTalk.org to download the free guides and other research-based resources.

Committee for Children is a global nonprofit on a mission to ensure children everywhere can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. Our founders designed our first program, Talking About Touching, to empower children to recognize, refuse, and report sexual victimization. We've broadened our scope throughout the past four decades to include bullying prevention programs, and today we're best known for our innovative Second Step® social-emotional learning programs. Second Step programs blend research and rigor with intuitive design and reach more than 24.4 million children worldwide. Visit cfchildren.org learn more about the work we do.

Media Contact
M'Bilia Meekers
PR Manager
mmeekers@cfchildren.org
206-438-6541

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SOURCE Committee for Children