PARENTS

Parents

Dear Parents:
Sadly, recent reports show that approximately 903,000 children in the United States were found to be victims of Child maltreatment (e.g. neglect, medical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and psychological maltreatment) in a single year - most by someone the child knew.* We at Children's Performance Workshops aim for the prevention of child abuse through education - and we make it fun and entertaining through the use of marionettes! I invite you to read on and learn more about how you can help us spread our message and identify the children in your school or organization who desperately need rescuing.
Sincerely,

Regina Marscheider
National Director, Children's Performance Workshops

* Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Maltreatment 2001: Reports from the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)

Following is our brochure, "How I fooled you", which is a companion to our award winning video, "Child Abuse... The Silent Epidemic"

Most people believe that people who commit sex offenses are strangers. The truth is that most sex offenders are people who you have come to trust: relatives, authority figures, family friends. In an effort to educate the public, a group of sex offenders who are in treatment have written these quotes.

How I Fooled You

"I was a very good friend, helping out whenever I could. You might have even thought of me as overly friendly."

"I made time to do things with your child you didn't have time to do."

"I knew how to make you feel grateful that I helped your child."

"I said things like:
"I'd be glad to take your son home after the Boy Scout meeting, so you can go to the grocery store... "
"I'll take your daughter to the rec center... kids like me. "

"I always acted like everything was normal."

"I was too good to be true."

How I Picked My Victim

"I looked for kids who were loners, or had trouble with schoolwork, or those who didn't hang out much with the groups, the other children."

"I looked for families where both parents work and the child was alone a lot of the time."

"I especially looked for single overwhelmed mothers with children who didn't get enough attention."

"I looked for babysitting jobs I could do for free."

"I was the nice 15-yead-old boy next door who knocked on your door to play with your 8-year-old son."

What I Watched For

"I looked for opportunities to spend time alone with your child."

"I undermined your authority, took your child to movies you did not approve of and broke your rules."

"I waited until you punished your child and I comforted him."

"I waited until your child got mad at you."

"I looked for times to hug and kiss your child, tickle, and be in a room alone with her."

How I Fooled Myself

"I kept telling myself that he wouldn't tell and no one will ever find out."

"I told myself that as long as no one found out, I really was not doing anything that bad."

"I told myself that your daughter came on to me and it was her fault."

"I told myself that it was an accident, it only happened one or two times, I was drunk or sleepwalking, it wasn't my fault, it was a dream, or it didn't really happen."

"I told myself it was your fault because you didn't give me enough attention like a wife should."

Written by:
Sex offenders who are in treatment

Contributors:

– Rita Budrionis, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

– Jane Hollingsworth, Psy.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist
– Regina Marscheider, Executive director Stopabuse.com

– Kate Shellman, Probation Officer

– John Williams, Senior Probation Officer

Children's Performance Workshops is making a difference!