Keeping Children Safer (NAPSA)—There are ways parents can better protect their children from those who seek to do them harm. That newsis significant, considering that researchers estimate onein five girls and one in 10 boys will be sexually victimized before reaching adulthood—and less than 35 percent of these assaults will be reported. To help curb such alarming sta- THE SOUND A CHILD MAKES WHEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IS OFTEN SILENCE. tistics, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers free publications to families concerned about safety. The group also launched a campaign that calls on everyoneto take the problem of child sexual exploitation seriously. “Child sex predators often seek volunteer or professional positions wherethey have legitimate access to kids. It’s critical parents and others pay careful attention to people whospend time with children,” says Ernie Allen, NCMEC president. Allen also gives thesetips: Pay attention if your kidstell you that they don’t want to be with someoneor go somewhere. Be sure your children are comfortable and feel safe enough to tell you any problems they may be having. Report incidents to the police. If your child has been victim- CENTER FOR MISSING & 1-800-THE-LOST weww.cybertipline.com Se Set Se a el There are ways parents can help protect their children from sexual exploitation. ized, NCMEC has resources to help. Visit NCMEC’s Website to learn about Internet safety. Parents and educators may visit www.cybertipline.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-8435678) to order free safety tips, access posters (online only), and learn more about all of NCMEC’s resources. Many publications are available in Spanish, and all are suitable for distribution at parent- ing organizations and community forums.
