What is a high-risk situation for a child?

Do you drop your child off at a music lesson that is in the back of a store in a room with no windows? Is your child ever invited over to a coach's house for some individual instruction? Does a neighbor invite your child over to his/her house to play the latest video games?

According to a statistic from Darkness to Light, more than 80 percent of child sexual abuse cases occur in one-adult/one-child situations.

We know that one-on-one time with a trusted adult is healthy and valuable for a child. But, there are things you can do to protect children when you want them to have time alone with another adult:

• Drop in unexpectedly when the child is alone with any adult, even trusted family members
• Make sure outings can be observed, if not by you, then by others.
• Ask the adult about the specifics of the planned activities before the child leaves your care. Notice the adult's ability to be specific.
• Remember that many children are abused by older youths - it's not just adults.

For more information visit Darkness to Light.