SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

"I learned a lot about safety, what to say and do. You’re getting through to kids. The role plays were fun!"
-Fifth Grade Student, Lena Elementary School


Each year, our staff teach more than 2,500 children in Stephenson County important strategies to protect themselves from unsafe people and situations. Awareness of the problem and knowledge of what to do to prevent sexual abuse, harassment, and assault are keys to keeping children safe.

Children are taught skill-building techniques in self-protection and seeking assistance through modeling, role-plays, and group interaction. Age-appropriate curriculums are school district approved and updated to meet the needs of students. Multiple sessions are presented in preschool, kindergarten, second, fifth, seventh, and ninth grades. Body Safety Program is presented in the elementary, Sexual Harassment and Teens in the junior high, and Teen Dating Violence Prevention in the high school. All curriculums follow Best Practice Standards, are researched-based, and evaluated annually by our professionally licensed agency staff.

Parents are provided with information prior to the student presentations so that they can further develop the program skills with their children. Over 1,000 parents, school personnel, and community members request information every year in order to better understand and prevent problems of sexual violence in the community.

"The date rape lesson helped me be aware of what situations can occur and how to be cautious."
-Ninth Grade Student, Freeport High School