Experts say, education is key in preventing sexual abuse among children

MARION, Ind. (WISH) - A child was sexually abused by another child and it happened inside of a Grant County Elementary School. Police say the alleged attacker in this case is a Marion elementary school student who saw images online and acted them out.

Experts say many times, there's more to the story than what's popping up on a computer screen. Experts say education is key in keeping kids safe.

“They've talked about bad touch and good touch and we all done that, but I think there certainly needs to be an emphasis on it,” says Marion Community Schools Superintendent Stephen Edwards.

Superintendent Edwards says more needs to be done. Toby Stark of Chaucie's Place, a child advocacy center, does just that.

“Child sexual abuse is the kind of thing that we wish if we just shut our eyes and we don't see it, it won't see us and it doesn't work that way,” explains Toby Stark the Executive Director of Chaucie’s Place.

One program, Body Safety, is targeted toward elementary students. The program reached more than 9,000 students last school year, but non profits like Chaucie’s Place are one of the few ways elementary students will learn about sex abuse in school.

“I think it's really important for any schools or any youth serving organizations to really learn about what resources are available in their community either locally or what can be brought in nationally to educate our children and educate the adults who work with their children,” says Stark.

According to the Indiana Department of Education, there are school safety specialists in districts. They set up education programs and address issues like sexual abuse.

However those programs are not for elementary school aged kids. There are no state funded programs at that level. So a non-profit like Chaucie's Place with a staff of two, fills in that gap.

“You don't want to take away a child's innocence, you don't ever want to take that away, but you do need to educate your child and empower them,” explains Stark.

The Indiana Department of Education says the only way programs like that are funded in elementary schools, is through grant money. Chaucie's Place says their program, Body Safety, continues to grow and they start teaching as young as kindergarten.

Toby Stark recommends parents start teaching their kids the bad touch, good touch even earlier than that - as soon as your child enters daycare or is watched by a babysitter.