These kinds of programs make a difference. Making sure kids understand safety issues, and how to report anything that is not safe, is an important part of fighting child abuse. If you don’t teach them, they won’t know. You’re not “ruining their innocence”, you are educating them before someone else does.
You may not like what they learn from other people who want to take advantage of their naivete.
How many decisions are based on overcoming shame that doesn’t belong to us, or how many opportunities are passed up because we feel inadequate? I know it took me years to understand that I could accomplish just about anything, and I’m still deathly afraid of failing, even though I have before and know it’s not…
I appreciate that there is someone researching this, and I am also glad that the subject of the article, artist Donalen Rojas Bowers, is sharing her story as well. It’s not an easy thing to talk about, it’s not an easy thing to learn about, and it’s definitely not an easy thing to find out someone you love is self-harming.
None of that unease should matter when compared to understanding and helping kids and adults who feel the need to self-harm because there have no better options available. The only way we find those is to talk about this.
“In approximately 23% of child abuse cases, children recant (take-back) allegations of abuse. Research has been conducted to better understand why children do this: the #1 reason children recant abuse allegations is their primary, non-offending caregiver (which in the vast majority of cases is the mother) DOES NOT believe them.” Makes sense to me, as a child…
Media overload is hurting our mental health. Here are ways to manage headline stress
Childhood traumas strongly impact both mental and physical health
Do You Always Need Background Noise? There’s A Psychological Reason Why.– Guilty of doing this for healthy reasons and unhealthy ones.
Common mental health inequalities across racialised groups: the gaps are getting bigger
Go Gently – “Whatever you’re going through, remember this: The best way to face uncertain times is with gentleness. With yourself, with your loved ones, and with others.”
Being Sad All the Time Is Too Much of a Burden – “Know that you will get through this.”
