Tulsa Teachers Attend Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

A Tulsa private school received funding for a training program to help prevent child sexual abuse. Miss Helen's Private School hosted Tulsa attorney Sharon Doty, creator of the "Keeping Them Safe" prevention program in use by the Catholic Church.

"No child should ever fear the will be sexually assaulted by someone who says they care about them,” Doty said.

Doty met with school teachers and support personnel Tuesday afternoon to educate school staff in how to empower children to protect themselves from sexual predators.

“I've been the Executive Director for 40 years. But I learned new things today. I hadn't thought Indulging kids with gifts without parental approval. Who would have thought? As a grandparent, yes, but I also know where the limits are with my grandchildren. If you do that for someone else's child you don’t know what there standards are,” said Miss Helen’s Executive Director, Lynda Wingo

The purpose of the training program is to help educators intervene to create safer environments and recognize and report signs of child sexual abuse.

“It isn't comfortable. It isn't popular. It isn't thought about much. But what we haven't done enough of is give teachers and adults the tools to observe other adults in the environment and interrupt behaviors that could very well lead to something inappropriate,” Doty said.

Doty said kids get molested because a molester groomed them. She said recognizing and interrupting grooming and potentially risky behavior is essential.

She said behavior, not appearance, is what to look for. She said potential risky behavior – giving gifts, too much touching and indulging children – are usually done alone and in out of the way places.

Funding for the event came through Empowering Adults, Protecting Children.