Protecting Little Girls from Sexual Predators
The most important a mother can do is to pay attention to details. What is your little angel wearing? Dance or gymnastics classes are a smÃ?¶rgÃ?Â¥sbord of soft porn for sexual predators. This is especially true for those schools that may be located in a shopping center or mall. Many times I have watched girls with their mothers entering or leaving a local dance school in town. And many times those little girls are wearing nothing but tights and a leotard or tutu. We think, “What an adorable five year old!” The thoughts of predator sitting on the bench are much more sinister. Take along a pair of sweatpants or shorts, or a loose dress your daughter can wear over her leotard. Make sure she is appropriately covered when outside the class whether she is three or thirteen. And NEVER take her to a restaurant or store dressed only in her tumbling outfit.
Another detail often overlooked is items with her name on them. Our young girls love having their names embroidered or painted on to clothes, jewelry and book bags. This is fine if she is going shopping with you or spending the night at a friend’s house in her stenciled sleeping bag. If at any time, however, she may be away from the watchful eyes of a responsible adult, make sure her name is not visible. Children are much more likely to trust someone, even a stranger, if that someone calls her name. It can be confusing for your daughter because she doesn’t know if that person might recognize her by knowing her parents. Think of all the adults you work with that have seen your little girl in the picture on your desk, or the adults you know from church or community activities that have briefly met your children. Especially for young children, they will not remember someone they have not seen in a year or two. Be sure to tell your daughter that it is okay not to speak to an adult she does not recognize, even if that adult knows her name. You can apologize to your coworker later if he perceived your daughter as “rude.”
The fashion trends these days make it almost impossible to dress little girls modestly. Short skirts, shorter shorts, and plunging necklines have become the norms even in pre-teen clothing. In addition, little girls are not as likely to keep their legs crossed or squat to pick up something rather than bending over. When she is trying on new clothes, make her move around in them. Bend over, kneel down, squat, and jump. Many things look great when she is walking out of the house in the morning, but turn into overly revealing when she becomes bored and active later on. Shorts tend to gape open when she squats, necklines fall when she bends over, and skirts take longer than she does to make it down the slide. Don’t assume because she is wearing it to school it will be okay. The news headlines are full of teachers and school personnel, male and female, that have had inappropriate contact with a student.
The greatest defense you have as the mother of a little girl is knowledge. Know what she is wearing, what is on her clothing or accessories, how she handles herself in public places around strangers, etc. Don’t allow anything that might fuel the daydreams of a sexual predator. Even if she is at home safe with you, you can’t allow the man you saw earlier in the store to take special notice of her. He may only go home and think about her later, or he may decide to start tracking her. You have no way of knowing what the predator is doing, but you can control the prey. Arguments over clothing or the embroidered back pack may be inevitable, but the safety and security of our little girls must always comes first.
