Supporting Youth Wellbeing: Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse Through Leadership

One’s future health is directly impacted by what happens in childhood, and particularly the adverse childhood experience of child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex issue that negatively affects every culture, every community, and every demographic-where at least one in five girls, and one in ten boys are victims of abuse before adulthood in the U.S. CSA requires a multi-faceted approach to (a) prevent it, (b) stop it from continuing, and (c) put supportive measures in place for victim-survivor healing and restorative justice. While the onus of responsibility to protect youth is always that of adults, none of these goals are possible without additional youth partnership. This presentation addresses the partnership we must have with youth. Advocating for youth to be “agents of change”, stand up as leaders for healthy relationships, recognize appropriate boundaries, and have the words and knowledge to involve adults all must be a part of this preventative and response model.