Sex abuse prevention in schools

Kindergartners across Florida are now learning one of the most important lessons of their young lives with a new curriculum designed to prevent childhood sexual abuse.

Sex abuse survivor Lauren Book visited a kindergarten class Thursday and taught the kids some lessons from the curriculum called “Safer, Smarter Kids.”

They learned about safe secrets and unsafe secrets, and learning to trust certain “grown up buddies.”  It’s a serious and certainly scary topic for youngsters, but Lauren has developed the lessons to be presented in a fun way that doesn’t scare children.

Lauren was sexually abused as a child by her nanny.  Today she believes if she had learned the lessons from “Safer, Smarter Kids,” she could have stopped her own horrific abuse.

Book said, “ninety-five percent of sexual abuse is preventable with education and awareness. One in three girls and one in five boys will be sexually assaulted before they’re 18. That’s before they leave this school system."

State lawmakers voted last year to place “Safer, Smarter Kids” in all 11,000 kindergarten classrooms in Florida. In doing so, Florida becomes the first state in the nation to offer a statewide education curriculum to prevent childhood sexual abuse.