Commentary: Take 5 days of action to stop child sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse can be prevented if adults learn how to protect the kids in their daily lives.

By Scott Washburn

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and youth-serving organizations across the county will work this month to raise awareness and understanding about a topic that needs more attention in more communities: child sexual abuse.

Five Days of Action for Child Abuse Prevention runs April 16-20 and focuses on preventing child sexual abuse by sharing tips on how adults can step up and speak out to prevent child sexual abuse.

Darkness to Light, a nonproft group dedicated to assisting adults in preventing child abuse, shares the following statistics:

One in 10 children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.

Ninety percent of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser.

Approximately 30 percent of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members.

Sixty percent of child sexual abuse victims never tell anyone.

False reports are rare. Research shows that only 4 percent to 8 percent of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated.

Abuse does not discriminate. It happens to children of all ages, genders, races, faiths and socioeconomic classes.

Keeping kids safe from abuse is essential to their healthy development. Studies show that children who experience adverse childhood experiences like sexual abuse are more likely to adopt risky behaviors such as smoking and drug use, develop chronic health conditions such as depression and heart disease, underperform academically, and die prematurely.

While we are placing a special emphasis on this topic during the month of April, the protection of youth from abuse is our top priority every single day of the year. By encouraging adults to step up and speak out to protect children, we can bring awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse in our communities and foster conversations around how we can all work together to prevent it from happening.

The good news is that child sexual abuse is preventable, and we are fully committed to doing our part to keep youth protected from abuse in our community, and we are asking you to join us.

For more information about preventing child sexual abuse go to www.fivedaysofaction.org or Darkness to Light at www.d2l.org.

As a community, we can stand up to demand that children are protected and speak out to encourage adults to make it happen. It takes all of us.

Scott Washburn is president and CEO of the YMCA of Snohomish County and is joined in this commentary by Pam Shields, executive director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Snohomish County; Bill Tsoukalas, executive director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County; Kevin Nichols, Scout executive, Boy Scouts of America; Jim Stephanson, CEO, Camp Fire Snohomish County; Joseph Alonzo, interim CEO, Cocoon House; Lori Vanderburg, executive director, Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, July 11

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

2024 Presidential Election Day Symbolic Elements.
Editorial: Retain Escamilla, Binda on Lynnwood City Council

Escamilla was appointed a year ago. Binda is serving his first term.

Schwab: Yes, your Medicaid’s gone but you can gloat over gators

What Trump is taking from the social safety net, he’s adding to the cruelty against working immigrants.

Congress’ passage of tax cuts bill marked shameful day for GOP

This July 3 was one of the most shameful days in American… Continue reading

Tell senators to keep vaccine aid by rejecting recissions bill

The Senate could vote on a Trump administration-proposed rescissions package before July… Continue reading

Too much risk, noise and annoyance with fireworks

Let’s hear it for all the “kids” who like to endanger life… Continue reading

Comment: About that Social Security email sent to retirees

It was uncharacteristically political, inaccurate about the BBB’s benefits and likely to cause mistrust of the SSA.

A Volunteers of America Western Washington crisis counselor talks with somebody on the phone Thursday, July 28, 2022, in at the VOA Behavioral Health Crisis Call Center in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Editorial: Dire results will follow end of LGBTQ+ crisis line

The Trump administration will end funding for a 988 line that serves youths in the LGBTQ+ community.

toon
Editorial: Using discourse to get to common ground

A Building Bridges panel discussion heard from lawmakers and students on disagreeing agreeably.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, June 27, 2025. The sweeping measure Senate Republican leaders hope to push through has many unpopular elements that they despise. But they face a political reckoning on taxes and the scorn of the president if they fail to pass it. (Kent Nishimura/The New York Times)
Editorial: GOP should heed all-caps message on tax policy bill

Trading cuts to Medicaid and more for tax cuts for the wealthy may have consequences for Republicans.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, July 10

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Blame Democrats’ taxes, rules for out-of-state ferry contract

Gov. Bob Ferguson should be ashamed of the hypocrisy shown by choosing… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.