++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I forced myself to go back and pull this post out of my email trash which is exactly where I immediately dropped it when it appeared in my in-box yesterday.  I guess I’m in no mood to even try to figure out why this post even appeared in regard to child abuse.

“If you are witnessing child abuse in a public place:   avoid judging, assess the situation, and assess yourself. ”  What about reporting abuse?  There’s no mention in this entire post which was sent out by Prevent Child Abuse New York’s Blog, a reputable site that I have trusted often in the past as an excellent source of child abuse prevention information.

So, is this following piece simply ABOUT PREVENTION?  I just can’t eliminate the idea of ‘judging’ from any abuse toward a child!  How do you readers react to this piece?  I am just too tired to think about this, other than to say nothing like this (below) was remotely possible in my mother’s home, and none of these simplistic (nice) suggestions would have helped me or my siblings even one single tiny bit.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Responding to Child Abuse in a Public Place

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 08:18 AM PDT

We’ve all been there—in the grocery store or some other public place bearing witness to a small child throwing a tantrum and a parent who, unable to cope with the stress, lashes out. People often ask us what to do in these situations. The following information, courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota’s Wakanheza Project, provides some direction on this issue.

The Wakanheza Project provides simple, usable tools and strategies that allow individuals, businesses, and communities to provide more welcoming, respectful environments for children, young people, adults and families.   If you are witnessing child abuse in a public place:   avoid judging, assess the situation, and assess yourself.  If you are ready, then . . .

1.   Offer assurance through a smile or a positive comment.
2.   Show empathy—imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes.
3.   Offer encouragement—say something positive that you see about the child or adult.
4.   Distract and redirect their attention away from the stressful situation.

The Wakanheza Project is built around the power of the Dakota word for child—Wakanhez—which translates in English as “Sacred Being” and six principles that can change the way people regard and treat one another.   The Wakanheza Project principles provide a lens for people to understand and effectively respond to stressful situations in order to create more welcoming environments.

Judgment: We make judgments every day to help us make decisions.   When we see a person who is struggling and we make assumptions and judgments about who they are and why they are behaving as they are, it is difficult, if not impossible, to see ways to be helpful; it is difficult to see then as fellow, worthy human beings.   It’s important to move those judgments out of the way in order to help out in situations.

Culture: The power and impacts of showing kindness and understanding through simple gestures including smiles and offers of assistance crosses cultural and language barriers.   We all bring culture to the world in many ways.   The Wakanheza Project offers the universal experience of empathizing with fellow humans and respectfully reaches across perceived cultural barriers (race, ethnicity, poverty, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, etc.) to lend a hand.

Powerlessness: Violence typically arises from a sense of powerlessness.   We may witness people acting violently, misusing their power, but it is generally in response to a feeling of powerlessness.

Empathy: Empathy is defined as “the capacity for participating in the feelings or ideas of others.”   We all have this capacity, and when we practice it, place ourselves in the shoes of another, it becomes simple to show understanding and offer a helping hand.

Environment: People tend to respond very well to welcoming environments.   Parents and children can immediately sense whether a public environment is welcoming, and this sense will have a great impact on their behaviors within the building.

The Moment: The Wakanheza Project is all about suspending judgment, understanding the impacts of powerlessness and environment, rejoicing in culture, and practicing empathy.   We all have the ability, and the obligation, to show caring, kindness and respect in the moment. We do not know what happened before or what will happen next, but we can practice The Wakanheza Project in the moment and greatly increase the likelihood of peaceful, positive interactions in our communities.

The above information is drawn from Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota’s Wakenheza Project.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++