The Protect Yourself Rules created by the nonprofit Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center Foundation in conjunction with Wonder Media is part of a national campaign on a child abuse awareness and prevention. The program’s main goal is to educate children about what to do when confronted with abusive behavior, safe and unsafe touches, going to a parent or another trusted adult if they are confronted in an unsafe situation, and that it is not their fault. An “Unsafe Touch” is defined as touching private parts of the body that are covered by a bathing suit. Stranger safety, Internet safety and other situations are also presented. The program has been developed and scripted by child advocates, therapists, and national scholars and tested at various stages of development with students, teachers, school administrators, parents, and experts in the field of child abuse.

Note for Parents: Congratulations in your decision to begin the journey into abuse prevention with your child. You’ve taken the biggest step in ensuring your child grows in a safe and nurturing environment. We encourage all parents to share this free prevention program with your friends and family so we, together, can create a community free of abuse.

What To Do: Select the appropriate age/grade level for your child. Each week view a video and have open discussion with your child upon completed the video. There are 7 lessons, so do at least one (1) lesson per week. Always refer back to the lesson the previous week, just to ensure your child remembers what has been discussed.

27/7 Support: Your CAC is here for you and your family. If you have any questions, need assistance or are looking for advice on having open conversations with your child about abuse prevention, please don’t hesitate to contact your CAC Community Response Coordinator at 863-801-6729 or email us at: cacreferral@gfnf4kids.org. Response times to email are generally answered within the hour during normal business hours and within 24 hours for nights, weekends and holidays. If you need to talk immediately, please call your Community Response Coordinator 24/7 at 863-801-6729