At the Family Dinner Project, we know that high profile stories in the media often enter the conversation at our playgrounds, schools and dinner tables. The Steubenville case and verdict, in which two high school football players were convicted of raping an intoxicated 16-year old girl, was all over the news the last few weeks.

We’ve been thinking a lot about this story and how we can help you talk with your children about what happened and hopefully help prevent similar situations in the future. The resources that follow represent various perspectives from people who are writing articulately about these issues. Our aim, in the end, is to help all of us turn something tragic into an opportunity for meaningful conversation with our children.

 Resources

This article by the editors of the Good Men Project provides a comprehensive list of parenting action items and appropriate talking points to use with children and is categorized by age. According to the editors, it was created “in the hope that we can raise a generation of children who have less rape and sexual assault in their lives.” View

This resource from the New York Times offers some excellent questions for thought and discussion with children ages 13 years old and up. View

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) web site offers a comprehensive overview of what actually defines rape. View

Kim Simon, who blogs on The Huffington Post and at mambythebay.com, writes wisely and passionately about what mothers of sons can do to help prevent another Steubenville. View

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s (NSVRC) campaign this year is “Talk Early, Talk Often.” This link is a good overall primer addressing how we can help support healthy sexual development. View

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