The SAT-7 TÜRK parenting discussion program Parents are Asking has been dealing with the issue of child sexual abuse, raising awareness of the problem among Turkish parents and helping them to prevent it.
Child sexual abuse has been described as a plague of our times, and viewers have repeatedly requested help in addressing it, either by participating in the program or by sending WhatsApp messages or Facebook comments. So Nora Yazırlıoğlu, the host, and her co-presenter, psychologist Dença Demir, dedicated an episode to the issue.
“We see our audience looking for solutions and better ways to connect with their children and address critical issues such as child sexual abuse. They recognize the role parents play in solving problems,” says Nora.
Nora and Dença noted that parents need to teach their children, girls and boys, more about personal safety. “It’s not that the perpetrators are strangers,” says Dença. “Most of the time – as far as I know 75-80 percent – the perpetrator is someone the child knows. So never leaving our children with strangers is not always the solution. We have to allow them to go out into the world and interact with those around them. But we can arm them with knowledge that can save them from becoming victims.”
They also explained that some children feel uncomfortable saying “No” to people, especially older peers or adults. They stressed that parents should not pressure children even for a hug or a kiss if they don’t want it, maintaining that it is okay for children to tell someone “No” if there’s something going on that they feel is wrong.
“Parents should talk to their children about self-esteem and respect. Equipped with these, a child can speak up if something inappropriate has happened. If they keep it secret, children can suffer from symptoms like anger, nightmares, headaches, insomnia, and anxiety,“ says Dença.
In conclusion, Nora and Dença noted that many children often do not speak up because they think they will get in trouble or be shamed by others. They emphasized that parents should tell their children that whatever happens, they should report it to people they trust, and that they will never get in trouble or be embarrassed by anyone.
Prayer Points
Would you please pause and pray for the following right now?
- That this terrible scourge will be effectively countered in Türkiye and elsewhere
- For SAT-7 TÜRK to successfully raise awareness of child sexual abuse amongst viewers in Türkiye
