The Way Forward
Yes, boys are sexually abused although we cannot truly rely on the statistics found on the internet for reasons already discussed in the previous posts. In this post, we’ll discuss briefly how to the way forward. We’ll see how sexual abuse can be avoided and how victims can be helped out of their situation.
A good number of the sexual abusers of boys are people in authority over the child or people that are well known to the family of the abused. It is therefore important for parents, siblings, friends and every other person to watch out for such cases. No one can be left out from the spectrum because every one is a suspect. With that mentality in mind, sexual abuse by familiar people would reduce. Families have trusted certain positions of authority and relatives too much that they are veiled to see the harm cooked for their children before their very eyes. This gives birth to an outcry for a little distrust for the good of all. Come to think of it: we hardly trust ourselves let alone trusting others.
When the mentality that everyone-is-a-suspect is on ground, certain measures can be effective. Some of these measures had already been established but familiarity thwarted the growth and sustenance of those rules. Here are some rules we know so well:
- Do not be alone with anybody irrespective of who the person is.
- Do not let anyone touch you inappropriately, not even as a joke.
- Call your genitals as normal organs of your body. Don’t give nicknames to it lest you mistaken it for a toy.
- Tell mummy and daddy everything.
- Do not be found in lonely and unsecured areas.
- If you have no interest in a particular game or spot, speak up.
- Do not keep the changes you notice about your body to yourself.
- . . .and lots more
Another thing that should be on ground is a comfortable atmosphere. Children in their nature would not speak up when tensed or sad. If they feel threatened, they would rather keep mute. How we go about addressing the issue would affect the results at the end of the day. If you have tried your best to create a comfortable ambience but your efforts prove futile, consult a child psychologist or child psychiatrist. A common mistake parents and other guardians make is making a comfortable atmosphere just for the purpose of speaking up at that moment. As much as possible, we should always ensure that children feel comfortable to speak about anything anytime without fear and timidity.
There are victims of abuse that would rather seek anonymous treatment and care for some reasons. That is fine. As long as you get help, all is well. There are hotlines and quick responses that could help out.
Do not remain silent!
What other ways do you think can help ameliorate and pacify the effects of sexual abuse on boys? Drop your answers in the comment section.
Thanks for reading this far. This is the end of the series. We would like to know what piques your interest so we discuss it at length. Remember, your opinions count!
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