Putting child sexual abuse prevention on the political agenda

July 26, 2010: Residents in Wales are being given the chance to get the prevention of child sexual abuse on the political agenda, thanks to a new campaign by Stop it Now! Wales.

Stop it Now! Wales is the only campaign running across the country that is solely dedicated to preventing the sexual abuse of children. Today, it is launching a new drive to urge all political parties to include protecting children from sexual harm in their forthcoming manifestos, ahead of the Assembly election in 2011.

The campaign, called Commit to Prevent!, allows members of the public to get involved by signing a petition and helping to spread the word through their social networks such as Facebook and Twitter and also offline through the use of posters, letters and flyers.

Stop it Now! Wales National Campaign Manager, Rebecca Wasinski, said: "It’s really important that as the political parties prepare their manifestos they have preventing child sexual abuse in their minds. Sexual abuse affects one in six children before they reach the age of 16 and devastates so many lives. It’s vital that we strive to prevent abuse from taking place. We need an all-Wales national strategy to plan and deliver activities that will go a long way to protecting children. We know what will help and we need to start delivering it."

Specifically, the Commit to Prevent campaign is calling for:

• A national public information campaign to raise awareness of the scale of child sexual abuse and the steps we can all take to prevent it.
• Education for parents and carers how to help prevent child sexual abuse including resilience building in children, open and honest communication and implementing and respecting boundaries.
• Education for children and young people in schools and youth settings on respectful relationships, sexual boundaries, consent and appropriate touch.
• Specific training on child sexual abuse prevention for those who work with children and families including on how to identify and respond to signs of child sexual abuse
• Therapeutic services for children and families who suffer child sexual abuse
• Intervention services for adults and young people with worrying thoughts / behaviour towards children.

Voters can find out more and get involved by visiting Stop it Now! website or calling Rebecca Wasinski on 07989 378220.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

For interview opportunities please contact Deborah Denis on 01372 847160, 07540 690315 or ddenis@stopitnow.org.uk/ debbiedenis@hotmail.co.uk

1. Stop it Now! Wales aims to prevent child sexual abuse by increasing public awareness and empowering people to act responsibly to protect children. Stop it Now! believes that it is the responsibility of all adults to take positive action to prevent the sexual abuse of children. Stop it Now! is an alliance of leading children's charities, working with the government and child protection agencies, to promote public education and prevent child sexual abuse and is managed by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. The Stop it Now! helpline has been operating since 2002 and aims to prevent child abuse by encouraging abusers and potential abusers to seek help and by giving adults the information they need to protect children safely. The helpline is funded by the Ministry of Justice and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Stop it Now! Wales is supported by the Welsh Assembly Government. www.stopitnow.org.uk.

Atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol ar yr agenda wleidyddol
 
DYDDIAD: 26/07/2010: Mae cyfle i drigolion Cymru osod atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol ar yr agenda wleidyddol, diolch i ymgyrch newydd gan Stop it Now! Cymru.

Stop it Now! Cymru yw’r unig ymgyrch ledled y wlad sydd wedi’i neilltuo i atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol. Ar 26 Gorffennaf, mae’n lansio ymgyrch newydd i bwyso ar bob plaid wleidyddol  i gynnwys amddiffyn plant rhag niwed rhywiol yn eu maniffestos arfaethedig, wrth iddynt baratoi ar gyfer etholiadau’r Cynulliad yn 2011.

Mae’r ymgyrch, a elwir yn Ymrwymo i Atal! yn caniatáu i aelodau o’r cyhoedd gyfrannu at yr ymgyrch trwy lofnodi deiseb, a lledaenu’r neges trwy eu rhwydweithiau cymdeithasol fel Facebook a Twitter yn ogystal ag oddi ar lein trwy ddefnyddio posteri, llythyrau, taflenni ac ati.

Dywedodd Rheolwr Ymgyrch Genedlaethol Stop it Now! Cymru, Rebecca Wasinski: "Mae’n bwysig bod y pleidiau gwleidyddol yn cofio am bwysigrwydd atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol wrth iddyn nhw baratoi maniffesto. Mae cam-drin rhywiol yn effeithio ar un ymhob chwech o blant cyn iddynt gyrraedd 16 oed, ac mae’n difrodi cymaint o fywydau. Mae’n hanfodol ein bod ni’n ymegnïo i atal y gamdriniaeth yma. Mae angen strategaeth genedlaethol Cymru-gyfan arnom ni i gynllunio a darparu gwasanaethau a fydd yn cyfrannu’n helaeth tuag at amddiffyn plant. Rydyn ni’n gwybod beth fydd yn helpu, ac mae angen i ni ddechrau darparu’r cymorth yma."

 Yn anad dim, mae ymgyrch Ymrwymo i Atal yn galw am:

* Ymgyrch genedlaethol i gynnig gwybodaeth i’r cyhoedd er mwyn cynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o raddfa cam-drin plant yn rhywiol, a’r camau y gall pob un ohonom eu cymryd i’w atal.
* Addysg i rieni a gofalwyr ynglŷn â sut helpu i atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol, gan gynnwys magu gwytnwch yn y plant, cyfathrebu’n agored ac onest, a gosod a pharchu ffiniau ymddygiad.
* Addysg i blant a phobl ifanc mewn ysgolion a lleoliadau ieuenctid ynglŷn â pharch mewn perthnasau, ffiniau ymddygiad rhywiol, caniatâd a chyffwrdd priodol.
* Hyfforddiant penodol ar atal cam-drin plant yn rhywiol i’r rheiny sy’n gweithio gyda phlant a’u teuluoedd, gan gynnwys sut i adnabod arwyddion cam-drin plant yn rhywiol ac ymateb i’r sefyllfa.
* Gwasanaethau therapiwtig i blant a’u teuluoedd sydd wedi dioddef cam-drin rhywiol .
* Gwasanaethau ymyrrol  i oedolion a phobl ifanc â meddyliau neu ymddygiad sy’n destun pryder mewn cysylltiad â phlant.

 Gall pleidleiswyr ddarganfod mwy ac ymgysylltu â’r ymgyrch trwy fynd i www.stopitnow.org.uk neu ffonio Rebecca Wasinski ar 07989 378220.