Their stories are very sad, but their honesty will help others, many others, and they push all of us to pay attention to the issues -- to pay attention to the children in our lives and to the adults who spend time with them. It's a good time to review what the signs of sexual abuse are, and which adult behaviors should make us suspicious.

Prevent Child Abuse Georgia provides this useful listing of the Signs of Sexual Abuse:

Physical Indicators:
• difficulty walking or sitting
• torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
• pain, swelling, or itching in genital area
• pain upon urination
• bruises, bleeding, or laceration in external genital,
  vaginal, or anal areas
• vaginal or penile discharge
• VD
• poor sphincter tone
• excessive masturbation
• STD's

Behavioral Indicators:

• inappropriate sex play
• advanced knowledge & promiscuity
• unwillingness to change for gym or participate in PE
• fantasy or infantile behavior
• bizarre, sophisticated or unusual sexual behavior or
  knowledge
• loss of appetite
• trouble swallowing
• mood swings
• anger
• withdrawal
• excessive worrying about siblings
• poor peer relationships
• delinquent or runaway
• reports sexual assaults
• change in school performance
• sleeping disorders/nightmares
• eating disorders
• aggressive acting out
• self-abuse behavior (drug addiction/alcohol addiction/self-mutilation)
• suddenly having money or secrets
• sexual acting out on younger children

If you suspect that a child is being abused, speak to your local department of family and children's services, pediatrician or competent mental health professional. Don't be timid about it. You're not accusing; you're merely reporting suspicion.

Stop it Now, a child protection organization, has a wonderful website at www.stopitnow.com  where, among many other resources and suggestions, it provides a listing of suspicious adult behaviors that we should look for in adults who spend time with our children:

Personal Space
• ignores social or emotional, or physical boundaries
• refuses to let child set any of his or her own limits; uses teasing or bullying to keep child from setting any limits
• insists on physical contact when the child says no
• walks in on children in the bathroom

Relationship with Kids
• turns to a child for emotional or physical comfort,
by sharing personal or private information
• secret interactions
• insists on uninterrupted time with child
• seems too good to be true (as for example babysits
without pay)
• allows children or teens to get away with
inappropriate behavior
• tells dirty or suggestive jokes
• exposes children to adult sex interactions
• overly interested in the sexual development of a child

Unfortunately, our highly sexualized culture is part of the problem, because boys and girls are objectified, particularly by the media and advertising, but that's a topic that needs a blog of its own, which I'm currently working on to publish soon.