Good Touch/Bad Touch ProgramBy Anita S. Hayne |
FBI Special Agent Robin Andrews wants to make the world a better place for the children of the Tohono O'Odham Nation. She has dedicated a large part of her work in Indian Country to educating children about sexual and physical abuse. By developing the Good Touch/Bad Touch Program, she hopes to empower children to stop the cycle of abuse.
In June 1996, SA Andrews created a program that addresses three specific age groups: HeadStart to third grade, fourth to eighth grade, and high school. In the course of her research, SA Andrews was able to locate an age-appropriate video and corresponding resource material for each group.
With the younger students, HeadStart to third grade, SA Andrews' program revolves around a safety-oriented theme. After the students view a sixteen minute video, SA Andrews reads "My 8 Rules for Safety" to the students. This document, published by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, addresses such issues as using a buddy system when playing outdoors, checking with parents before leaving the home, and emphasizing that they are not at fault if someone touches them in a way they do not like.
SA Andrews focuses on such topics as depression, suicide, gun safety, date rape, sexually transmitted diseases, and personal responsibility with the middle school and high school students. In order to avoid embarrassment, SA Andrews has the older students write their questions on a piece of paper which she reads aloud and answers. SA Andrews finds this method very effective with students who are shy or have been victims of abuse themselves.
The ultimate goal of the Good Touch/Bad Touch Program is to educate students about sexual and physical abuse. SA Andrews hopes to convey at least two distinct and important messages. She wants the children of the Nation to understand that they are in no way at fault for the abuse, and, as a law enforcement officer, she is on the reservation to serve their interests and protect their future.
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