The Kids on the Block Program on

Sexual Abuse

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Kids on the Block Program on Sexual Abuse is designed to educate children about personal safety, sexual abuse, and the services available to abuse survivors.  This curriculum is an educational tool designed to:

• encourage children to make self-protective decisions regarding personal safety
• explain/define sexual abuse
• encourage children to talk with an adult if they have experienced abuse
• teach children to understand their feelings and encourage them to talk about these feelings
• provide information about agencies and organizations who offer services for families in need of help

ABOUT THE CHARACTER: JOANNE SPINOZA

Fourteen year old Joanne is an only child who lives with her mom in the close-knit community of Woodburn.  Joanne's mother, Lena, is a real estate agent.  Her parents divorced before Joanne was five and Jo, as her friends often call her, visits her father, Gerard, only on rare occasions.  Joanne is a ninth grader at Woodburn Jr. High and is very involved in her school and community.  She plays soccer, is a member of the cheerleading squad, enjoys writing for her school paper, The Woodburn Jr. Times, and works part-time at a video store.  Joanne is also a survivor of sexual abuse.

“When I was ten,” explains Joanne, “my mom was dating this guy, Len.  He seemed nice.  I guess Len must have had some real problems, 'cause he started doing stuff--like touching me in my private places...stuff no grown up should ever be doing to a kid.”

Joanne never told anyone about the abuse until it had already stopped.  Like many adults who prey on children, Len first gained the trust of both Joanne and her mother.  Joanne's mother was taking real estate courses at the time she was dating Len.  On many occasions she would ask Len to babysit when she had evening classes.  It was during this time that Joanne noticed Len's behavior towards her changing.  “Len was nice to me when my mom was around, but he just treated me like a regular kid,” Joanne says.  “But when my mom would go out, Len would be extra nice to me.  He treated me like a friend.  He let me do things my mom wouldn't, like stay up past my bedtime watching movies on T.V.  I really trusted him.  But Len used my trust so he could trick me.”

Len played games with Joanne which became increasingly physical.  During the games he would touch Joanne's private parts.  During one of their “tickle games,” Len grabbed Joanne's hand and forced her to touch him.  When Joanne expressed distress at this, Len explained he did it because Joanne wanted him to.  Further, he told Joanne she would be in serious trouble if she told anyone about their special games.  It was also during this time, Len would insist on “helping” Joanne with her bath before bedtime.  He would scrub her back, help her wash her hair, and help her dry off.

Joanne tried to talk to her mother about what Len was doing.  But, since her attempts were never direct disclosures, Joanne's mother remained unaware of the abuse her daughter was suffering.  Joanne says, “I didn't really know how to get my mom to understand what I was trying to tell her.  Finally, I just gave up and told her that the lock on the bathroom door was broken.  She asked Len to fix it for us, but he didn't.”

Instead, the next time Len was babysitting, he asked Joanne why she wanted to lock the bathroom door.  He assured her he was only doing things Joanne wanted him to do.  He then exposed himself and forced Joanne to touch him, telling her that if she didn't he'd tell her mother that everything which had happened was Joanne's doing.  “He said it was my word against his,” Joanne recalls.  “He told me no one would believe me if I tried to tell.”

Luckily for Joanne, Len and her mother broke up later that same week.  Although the abuse had stopped, Joanne was still terribly troubled.  Feelings of fear and guilt weighed heavily on Joanne's shoulders.  Finally, after seeing a movie in school, Joanne confided in her friend's father, Peter Kontos.  Mr. Kontos contacted child protective services.  CPS was able to get Joanne and her mother into counseling to help them through this difficult time in their lives.

Today, Joanne is able to tell her story, knowing what happened to her wasn't her fault.  “Len did what he did because he has a problem,” says Joanne.  “And if anybody ever tries to do something like that to me again, I can say 'NO,' and tell somebody about it right away!”

Joanne is featured in The Kids on the Block program on sexual abuse.  She also appears in the programs about AIDS, autism, childhood cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, hemophilia, ostomy, spina bifida, ATOD (alcohol, tobacco & other drugs), fire safety, gangs, multiculturalism, physical abuse, sexuality and teenage pregnancy, and vandalism.

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