The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) relaunched its’ social norms campaign, called Something We Agree On, which aims to prevent childhood sexual abuse and corporal punishment. The relaunch dives deeper into specific strategies and examples, resources for parents and caregivers, and topics for discussion. With a foundation of creating positive community norms that protect children from abuse, the campaign encourages Missouri parents and caregivers to engage in conversations with kids that prevent child sexual abuse and corporal punishment.
Social norms survey results of 1,000 Missouri adults concluded 86% of parents have had conversations with their children about body autonomy and personal boundaries.
Having short, frequent, age-appropriate conversations with children can help protect children from sexual abuse. They can teach children signs to look for and boundaries to uphold. Perhaps, most importantly, they help establish you as the trusted adult in your child’s life. Although some may find these conversations to be uncomfortable at first, they are extremely normal, and they prevent abuse from occurring or going unreported.
Similarly, having conversations with kids can help prevent the use of physical punishment. 94% of Missouri adults agree there are better ways to discipline a child than physical punishment.
When parents and caregivers talk to their child, understand their child’s (and their own) emotional responses, and learn about their child’s developmental stages, it is easier to have empathy for kids and respond to behaviors in a more supportive and nurturing way.
In tandem with the release of the updated campaign materials, CTF is excited to announce the selection of seven Missouri-based agencies to help creatively spread messaging and awareness in various parts of the state. These agencies will help spread awareness in a variety of ways, including billboards and traditional marketing, local partnerships, professional and community events, training and more.
CTF is excited to collaborate with the following agencies in 2024 for this marketing campaign:
- Butler County Community Resource Council
- Easterseals Midwest
- Isabel’s House
- Lewis County Health Department
- Mattie Rhodes Center
- Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA)
- SEMO-NASV
To find materials and resources, or to learn strategies that could help you and your family, visit SomethingWeAgreeOn.org.
