Revved Up Kids top ten safety tips:
June is National Safety Month, and while the primary focus of the National Safety Council is accidental injury and death, we thought it was a good time to share the Revved Up Kids top ten safety tips for kids and teens (and adults!).
Use this list to open a dialogue in your family about predators and personal safety. The easiest target for a predator is the child who doesn't know they exist, and open conversations about safety and sexual abuse are the best defense. Help your child be smart, be strong and be safe!
Top Ten Safety Tips #1
Distraction creates opportunity - when out, tune in to your surroundings, don't get distracted by your phone, your friends, your music (wear one earbud). Opportunist criminals look for victims who are distracted.
Top Ten Safety Tips #2
Trust your gut -understand that your body knows danger and learn to trust it. If you feel nervous or threatened in any situation (even with someone you know) get away to somewhere you feel safe.
Top Ten Safety Tips #3
Just because you know someone doesn't mean they're safe - predators almost always know their victims, stranger danger is a misguided concept.
Top Ten Safety Tips #4
Friends of friends are strangers - predators are everywhere on social media, it's the perfect place to find victims. The best way to protect yourself is to only allow people to follow you who you know and trust in your offline world. Online, predators start out as strangers, but develop relationships with their intended victims and groom them over time. Many times, victims trust this person completely and believe they are in love.
Top Ten Safety Tips #5
Guard your safe space - a five foot radius around your body is your safe space. No one should be allowed inside without your permission. No one is allowed to touch you without your permission. If you feel threatened, run away before the person gets inside your safe space.
Top Ten Safety Tips #6
Always be with people - you cut your risk of an attack in half by being with just one other person. Always try to stay around people and activity. When in danger away from home, run to people and activity.
Top Ten Safety Tips #7
Grown-ups don't need help from children - teach kids that adults do not need to ask them for help, they can ask other adults. Especially if a stranger is asking for help, kids should understand this is an unsafe situation. If it's someone they know and they really want to help, they can ask you for permission first.
Top Ten Safety Tips #8
Have a list of safe adults - kids should have three or four "safe grown-ups" who would always pick them up in an emergency, and who can always be there for them if they need help or need someone to talk to. It's wise to identify safe neighbors, too.
Top Ten Safety Tips #9
Safety trumps politeness - teach kids that if anyone is making them scared or upset, they do not owe that person politeness, they have permission to run away without an explanation.
Top Ten Safety Tips #10
Know the families of your child's friends - unfortunately, sexual abuse often takes place at the home of a friend or neighbor. Do not let your child sleep over or have a play date unless you know everyone in the home well and trust them completely. Group sleepovers, like birthday parties, are less risky (see safety rule #6), but always tell your child to call you if anything doesn't feel right.
Revved Up Kids has trained tens of thousands of children to recognize dangerous people, avoid unsafe situations, and escape attackers. Our training programs are available for boys and girls in K-12th grade, for parents, and for youth serving organizations. Contact us to discuss protecting the children you love from predators and violence, 678.526.3335.