“My Body is Precious,” a children’s book on sexual abuse

My Body is Precious…that’s the name of a new publication that tackles sexual abuse against children. The brightly illustrated book makes for easy reading and was launched this morning as a special project by the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis Barrow.  The book explains in clear and simple terms, the difference between good and bad touch. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

The highly anticipated children’s book, “My Body is Precious,” authored by Starla Bradley and Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis Barrow was officially launched. The book takes the issue of sexual abuse against children and transforms it into age-appropriate text for kids. Simplis Barrow says that the book will be issued to students but is also for parents to open communication with their children.

Kim Simplis Barrow

Kim Simplis Barrow, Special Envoy for Women and Children

“Providing for and protecting our children is our right and responsibility. As parents, we all do the best we can with what we have and what we know. Some aspects of parenting are harder than others. For many of us, talking to our children about sexual abuse happens to be one of the things that we often have a hard time doing. Even though this might be true for you, it is still tremendously important that you open the lines of communication with your child. It is our responsibility with parents to make sure that we give our children the correct information so that they can learn that their bodies should be respected and that they learn to tell others to respect it as well. This book was created to help you to become more comfortable with information about sexual abuse and for you to read it along with your child and then talk to your child about the things you then need them to know and understand about this issue.”

Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, was also a guest speaker at the event. He says that the book also serves as a tool to assist children with reading.

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“We get to combine in this launch things that are important to the ministry of education and in fact to the wider government and people of Belize. We get to launch this book that ensures that children understand how important it is to protect their bodies, but we also get a chance to share a very important piece of literature with them which encourages them to read, which is a very big issue that the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports champions in this country.”

To appeal to the younger audience, the launch included a dramatization of the book – highlighting good touch and bad touch.

{Highlights of play…}

Apart from the Special Envoy for Women and Children and the Ministries of Education and Human Development and Social Transformation, UNICEF played a significant role in the publication of the book.

Christine Norton

Christine Norton, Country Representative, UNICEF

“We really do feel that all boys and girls have the right to full development—develop their full potential—and there are many things that stand in the way of that. And I think here in Belize, you get a brilliant example of how the government of Belize and all its partners are here working towards changing the situation; making it better for children. So we know that if children are educated, healthy and protected, they have the chance of not just of having more self-respect, confidence and control over their lives, but they can also help pull communities out of poverty.”

A copy of the book was issued to all those who attended today’s launch. Duane Moody for News Five.

The play will be repeated over three days in an effort to reach all students from infant two to standard two in the Belize District. It will thereafter be taken on a countrywide tour sponsored by the National Institute of Culture and History.