"More than 80 % of sexual abuse cases occur in isolated, one-on-one situations. If you eliminate or reduce isolated, one-on-one situations between children and adults, as well as children and other youth, you’ll dramatically reduce the risk of sexual abuse." - https://www.d2l.org/education/5-steps/step-2/

​Offenders groom children to manipulate them into a trustworthy relationship reducing the chances of the child telling anyone and increasing the likelihood the child will return to the offender. Offenders groom adults around the child to make it easier to gain access to the child.

The grooming process is public, it happens in front of other adults and kids - that's why is very important to be familiarized with the "red flag behaviors" and as upstanders, stop it. The abuse happens privately, in a one-on-one situation, and we can prevent it too.

​* Keep an eye on children interactions and make sure they can be observed and interrupted. 

* Establish safety parameters of situations in which older youth have access to younger children. Don't allow them to play in isolated places without adult supervision. 

* Be a safety example by personally avoiding isolated, one-on-one situations with children other than your own.

* Be aware that abusers often become friendly with victims and their families. Adults and kids should never be in one-on-one situations, doesn't matter if the adult is a family member, a coach, a priest, a teacher.

* Internet should be used in an open space where you can show up any time. 

By promoting close and caring relationships between kids and adults, we can help children to feel supported and loved and thus reduce their risk of being abused. But that same closeness between a kid and an adult can also provide the opportunity for abuse to occur.  The best teachers, childcare providers, camp counselors, and sports coaches develop close relationships with the children they work with and don’t think twice about comforting a sad child, handling a temper tantrum, or teaching a child a new skill.
This level of caring and dedication can, however, lead to misunderstandings.

The rule of three:
Make sure that groups of at least two adults and one child, or two children and one adult are maintained at all times.