NCJ Number
141537
Journal
Aslet Journal Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (January-February 1993) Pages: 17- 20
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A police academy coordinator who has taught courses on child abuse concludes that child abuse training includes considerations that other forms of training usually do not present and therefore requires special handling.
Abstract
Child abuse training often produces a strong emotional impact on class members who may have been abused themselves as children or be the parent or friend of a child who has been abused. Therefore, the instructor must use a careful approach but must also alleviate the seriousness of the subject with humor, for the sake of the mental health of the class. The instructor should acknowledge the likely presence of former victims in the room, encourage them to talk to someone about their abuse, and provide referrals and counseling resources if approached by individual class members. Proper sequencing is also important to ensure that the information is received in a logical progression. The instructor must also consider the multidisciplinary nature of the audience, the need for impartiality, and the importance of emphasizing child abuse prevention. Visual aids such as slides and videotapes can be useful in this training but should be used carefully.