Senator Flanagan And Parents For Megan’s Law Host A Sex Abuse Seminar In Kings Park

Senator John J. Flanagan (2nd Senate District) and Parents for Megan's Law recently hosted a sexual abuse prevention seminar in Kings Park to provide parents with the tools they need to protect children. The free seminar, which was held at the Kings Park High School, included tips for parents that will help them teach their children how to avoid sexual predators.

The "Apple of My Eye" program was presented to the parents by Christine Taylor-Hart, an educator with Parents for Megan's Law and is based on the research of Executive Director Laura Ahearn. The two-hour meeting provided parents with important child protection information that will strengthen their ability to protect the children in their lives.

Tips presented included safety rules children should be taught, the red flags to look for to detect inappropriate behavior, the various traps sexual predators use to access children and the physical and behavioral signs of sexual abuse. For a link to all the tips provided to the parents during the presentation, parents can visit Protecting Our Children: Useful Safety Information for Parents for links to this important information.

Parents For Megan's Law is a not-for-profit national community and victim's rights organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of childhood sexual abuse. The group provides education, advocacy, counseling, policy and legislative support services.

The organization has joined with Senator Flanagan in the past to fight to strengthen New York State laws to protect children from sexual abuse. This collaboration has led to improvements in the New York State Sex Offender registry and expanded rights for victims of sex crimes.

"As the most important level of protection from sex offenders, it is critical that parents have access to the most up-to-date and reliable information. Thanks to the work of Laura Ahearn and Parents for Megan's Law, parents today are better prepared to protect the children in their lives," stated Senator Flanagan. "By strengthening the laws that protect our children and providing seminars such as this one, we can make sure that our community's parents have the information and the tools they need."