Yes2Kids Writing Contest Kickoff on February 3, 2012 at Palmdale Learning Plaza 

PALMDALE - Anti-child-abuse activists kicked off the ninth annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Writing Contest with rallies Friday at Palmdale Learning Plaza elementary school and at the Antelope Valley Boys and Girls Club center in Lancaster.

"We usually get hundreds entries," said Bob Broyles, the Antelope Valley Child Abuse Prevention Council's executive consultant. "We have to narrow it down to 12 winners - grades one to 12."

The contest is sponsored by Yes2Kids, also known as the Antelope Valley Child Abuse Council.

Prizes and gifts are awarded to one winner in each grade level and category at a ceremony April  at the Larry Chimbole Cultural Center in Palmdale. Also during the ceremony, organizers will honor two Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services employees as DCFS Workers of the Year, one from the Palmdale office and one from the Lancaster office.

The theme this year is "To me, Respect is when " Submissions can be up to 500 words. Entries must be postmarked by March 11.

For details or entry forms and complete rules, call (661) 940-9530, or go online to www.yes2kids.net.

Community Forum

“Sexual Safety for Children”

Forum, Lancaster City Hall EOC,

Wednesday, January 18^th, 3:30 to 5:30 PM

 Contact Sonja Busum 661-951-2191 x 205

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DCFS and Yes2Kids-Antelope Valley Child Abuse Prevention Council Partner to Sponsor Community Forum  to Ensure Sexual Safety for Children

Yes2Kids- Antelope Valley Child Abuse Prevention Council and DCFS hosted a forum on “Sexual Safety for Children” on Wednesday, January 18^th at Lancaster City Hall.  30 Participants talked about child sex abuse from a new angle, child with child sex. Rarely talked about, this is, in fact, not a new phenomenon because one-third of the sexual abuse in America involving children is committed by other minors.

 Supervisor Antonovich’s Deputy, Norm Hickling, gave opening remarks encouraging the community to be proactive in giving children a sound vocabulary and education to use to ask for help and guidance around a subject matter that makes many uncomfortable. 

 Data collected by the Justice Department sponsored analysis of crime from 29 states in 2009 found that juveniles account for 35.6 percent of the people identified by police as having committed sex offenses against minors. Ninety-three percent were male, with the peak ages for offending 12 through 13 years. The remaining percentage is committed by children under the age of 12 years. Unlike adult offenders who have tended to respond poorly to treatment, 95% of children who receive proper supports and therapy, when indicated, will never offend again. Deborah Shelton of the Youth Support Association offered an evidenced–based curriculum for school aged children, Good-Touch/Bad-Touch  and  an educational aid in Channing-Bete’s Your Body Belongs To You! A Coloring & Activities Book. 

 The causes are many: anger acted out through aggression, curiosity, being naïve, peer pressure, a moment of poor judgment, a misunderstanding of physical sensations, media influences, their own victimization, having a developmental disorder, poor family influences, and/or substance abuse.

 Due to the shame and embarrassment victims often feel, the public rarely hears about sexual offenses committed on children by other children.  It is quietly reported or not reported at all, or “handled confidentially”. Youthful offenders come from all cultural, religious and economic backgrounds; therefore, it is hard to see warning signs for such potentially scarring behaviors.

 The schools in theAntelopeValleyhave had incidences of peer to peer interaction with children as young as 6 or 7 years old. A simple trip to the bathroom exposes innocent children to sex acts they should know nothing about. The child feels funny about what happened, and instinctively knows something is not right about it. What to do? Who to tell? Often they are not prepared or empowered to ask a caring adult for help.

 This forum was a brainstorming session for launching a prevention program. If one child is unsafe, NO child is safe! Children can learn to set boundaries; they can learn what is inappropriate touching. We can empower children to protect themselves, say no and involve a responsible adult! They can learn to be pro-active and learn skills and tools to apply when they are faced with confusing or dangerous situations. As children are taught to cross the street safely, they can learn to participate in keeping themselves safe in the area of sexual interactions. When done in a developmentally appropriate manner, children are not overwhelmed with more information than they may need at any given age level.

 Adults can learn warning signs that may indicate that their child is a victim and what they can do if their child has experienced a traumatic event.  Adults can also learn warning signs that their own child may be perpetrating inappropriate sexual acts and what they can do to get help for their child to stop any future abusive behaviors.  Educators also need to be aware of warning signs and ways that they can safely help children and families intervene and prevent child sexual abuse.  All of us in the community can and must do our part to promote safe and healthy boundaries and relationships.

 An action task force will be formed and a community strategy will be implemented.  In addition to Supervisor Antonovich’s Deputy and representatives of the sponsors, representatives from Juvenile Probation, Grace Resources, Children’s Bureau, Lancaster Human Rights Commission, SARS, Children’s Center,PalmdaleSchool District, Associated Christian Therapy Services and interested parents were in attendance

 For more information and to learn how to participate, please contact

Yes2Kids via Sonja Busum at Children’s Bureau: 661-951-2191 Ext.205

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