The North Carolina Governor’s Advocacy Council on Children and Youth has recommended that every school hire a counselor to help students deal with sexual abuse and that schools offer more sex education to teach children the difference between “good” and “bad” touching.
The report, “Child Exploitation: Pieces of the Puzzle,” also recommends that administrators, teachers, and parents be educated about child sexual exploitation; that community awareness about problems of child exploitation be increased; and that marriage and family-life courses be taught in high schools, said Pam Holland, a council staff member.
The council urged state legislators to amend the Child Protection Act of 1983 to cover private--not just commercial--use of children in pornography; increase the fines and penalties for child abuse and exploitation, and establish a fund from those fines to treat victims and offenders; and support federal legislation on missing children, Ms. Holland said. The recommendations will be sent to Gov. James B. Hunt for inclusion in his legislative agenda.--ab
