COLUMBUS – Not only should the alleged child abuse by a Penn State assistant football coach have been reported earlier, child advocates say, but it could well have been prevented in the first place.

Jean Toberman, program director for the Council on Child Abuse of Southern Ohio’s school-based personal safety program, says there are ways to stop child sexual abuse from happening, such as organizations having policies designed to keep children safe. She says a child should never be left alone with a single adult.

“I would directly ask an organization, ‘What is your policy for allowing my child to be in the presence of adults?’ ‘Do you require more than one adult?’ ‘How are these things monitored?’ and ‘What type of training do they go through?’” Toberman said.

A background check can be helpful, depending on the situation, Toberman says, but it’s not always the best gauge of a person since abuse often goes unreported. The best thing parents can do, she says, is have a conversation with their child about what is and is not appropriate behavior from an adult.

Experts say the effect of maltreatment can damage a child for life, cause physical or mental problems and drug abuse or other criminal behavior. That’s why Toberman says it’s critical for those who witness abuse to speak up.

“If you see something that makes you uncomfortable as a bystander, as seeing something out of the ordinary, make sure to report that to somebody and make sure to follow up on it.”

Typically, the abuser is not a stranger, Toberman says, but someone who has a previous relationship with the children or the families.

“The problem is, kids are taught a lot about stranger safety and things like that, but it’s when it’s someone they know who is attempting or is abusing them, they don’t really understand what to do about that because they haven’t learned those rules in that case.”

Toberman offers tips on what parents should tell their child to do in a possible abuse situation.

“Say ‘no’ to somebody if they feel uncomfortable. Try to get out of the situation. The biggest thing is that if they feel anything that feels the littlest bit uncomfortable, to tell an adult to report it right away.”

According to Prevent Child Abuse America, the United States spends more than $100 billion per year to treat the effects of child abuse.

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