By Lou Phelps

It’s every parents nightmare – the potential for sexual abuse of their children. Statistics state that 90 percent of abused children don’t tell.

But there is excellent support available for parents, teachers and adults  if they suspect abuse, and arming your children with age-appropriate information is one of the most important things a parent can do to protect them.

According to the Polly Klass foundation, “Think about what you will say before talking with your child. You don’t want to terrify your children, but you want to give your kids factual information and skills to keep themselves safe.”  Don’t go into details about the crime they committed, which is scary, but provide them with information about what to do if they see the person or are approached by them, they state.

You can explain that the person, “tried to trick kids before,” etc…using age-appropriate language and terms.
You may want to show your child a photo of the offender in your neighborhood.. In Chatham, Effingham and Bryan counties, pictures of offenders in your neighborhood are available online at the following websites:

Chatham: http://sort.chathamsheriff.org/
Effingham: http://www.effinghamsheriff.org  (Under "Crime Info" tab)
Bryan: http://www.bryancountyga.org  (Under tab "County Sex Offenders")

Arm your child with basic skills, such as take 3 steps back, run away and then tell you or another trusted adult.
One of the most important discussion topics is to emphasize over and over again that you WILL believe them if they tell you about abuse, even if it’s by a beloved family member, Mom’s boyfriend or a teacher or coach that everyone looks up to in the community or the church. And, listen when they tell you about a rumor at school.

Parents should understand what are deemed to be dangerous adult behaviors by reading up on the topic.

“One of a child’s greatest protections is the ability to say “No” to adults when appropriate. This is very hard for children to do. Help them discover when it’s a good idea to say “No,” then help them practice saying it out loud. Reassure your kids that you won’t be mad if they make a mistake. It’s part of the process of learning to be safe,” the foundation explains.

If you think your child has been abused, immediately call Child Help USA (800-4-A-Child). Their professional crisis counselors are available 24/7, and can help you and your child. This is a great resource if parents have initial concerns about going to a local source initially

In Chatham County, a list of registered sexual offenders is maintained by the Sheriff’s office, led by Al Lawrence, through the department’s Sexual Offenders Registration and Tracking Unit (S.O.R.T.). These officers are responsible for monitoring all convicted sexual predators living in Chatham County.

At the Sheriff departments’ website, they provide lists by zip code and maintain a mapping system that allows residents to look at a map of where sexual predators are living. The information can be found at http://sort.chathamsheriff.org.
The site also has a slide show of pictures of convicted predators who have “absconded” – they have failed to register with law enforcement, as required by law, and their addresses are not known. Many may have left the area.

You can also register your email address and zip code at the Sheriff's department site, and if a registered offender moves into your area, you will be notified.

These two men, Roger Loring Horne and Roy Steven Smith, have both been convicted of statutory rape and have absconded - failed to register with local law enforcement in Chatham County.  If you have any information on their whereabouts, contact the Sheriff’s Dept. at 912-652-7668 or if you would like to remain anonymous you can contact Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020.