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crucial details, as hard as it might be for
them to remember or relate them all.

Once all the details are revealed to you, it's time to seek help from the
authorities. You will, of course, have to inform the police so that this
perpetrator can be caught, in hopes he won't be harming any other children.
You will also have to prepare your child for this process. The child may be

extremely reluctant to relate the story yet again, this time to a stranger.
Their trust in strangers, even if they're the police, has now been depleted.
You must reassure them that they are safe now, and that once this person is
caught, they won't hurt them or anyone else ever again.

It's such a devastating thing when our children's innocence and trust has been
taken from them. Children should be allowed to BE children, only having to
think of childhood things. They should never have to learn "what adults do"
before it's time to know. Unfortunately, things like this do happen. We have
to let our children know that it was not their fault, and that we'll always
love them no matter what. These children will also have to go through a lot of
counseling, maybe throughout their entire lives, so that they can overcome the
tragedy they've just been through, and also, in hopes that they themselves
will never perpetuate this horrible cycle.

Learn more about this author, Penny B.
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