Sarah’s Story of Prevention

Recently, a kindergarten teacher named Sarah took Stewards of Children® and learned about the signs of child sexual abuse for the first time.

She left the training reassessing her interactions with her students. One particular student came to mind – the child had difficulty regulating their emotions and frequently lashed out in anger at others. The next day, Sarah pulled the little girl aside and used some of the open-ended talking points she learned from Stewards of Children®:

“I noticed you seem upset lately, is anything bothering you?”

“What happened next?”

“I care about you and I’m here for you.”

“Thank you for sharing with me. I know this must be difficult and I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me what’s going on.”

Their conversation made Sarah realize that the kindergartner was being abused, and she knew immediately how to help. The school called the authorities and the student was removed from the abusive situation.

This is just one example of how Darkness to Light’s training programs have changed children’s lives over the last twenty years. We couldn’t do this without your help and support. By donating, you empower more teachers like Sarah to end the abuse that happens to one in 10 children.

To learn more about how Darkness to Light makes an impact, check out our most recent Impact Report.



This Spotlight Story was shared via our Share Your Story feature, through which survivors can offer their experiences as a source of insight, support, and ultimately hope for the community. In order to create a safe and supportive community for all our readers, we do not share the names of perpetrators or the specifics of court cases. All posts are reviewed prior to posting, must adhere to Darkness to Light’s guidelines for appropriate content, and may have been edited for length.