Zero Abuse Project aims to educate children about potential abuse to protect them from it

Zero abuse project teaches kids to recognize potential abuse

A new initiative to combat child abuse is being rolled out to help educate children about what abuse looks like and what they can do to stay safe.

The Zero Abuse Project is a free curriculum designed for elementary to high school students.

Lessons are tailored to students’ ages to help them understand important concepts, such as recognizing when they or their friends might be in danger and how to keep themselves safe both in person and online.

“We’re going to be talking about why it’s important to check first before you go places with people, why we don’t keep secrets about safety,” Alison Feigh with the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center said. “We talk about what the differences are between secrets and surprises. We talk about touches — touches are never a secret, and how we can help our friends if we’re worried our friend is doing something unsafe online or unsafe in person that we can get them help.”

So far, 350 teachers across Minnesota have already completed training and another 500 have signed up for the program.

In addition to classroom instruction, the program offers resources for parents, ensuring that families are also equipped to discuss safety issues with their child.

Schools or educators interested in the curriculum can reach out to the Zero Abuse Project for more information.

The post Zero Abuse Project aims to educate children about potential abuse to protect them from it first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.