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May I Kiss You?
Talk to Your Teen About Date Rape
By Tamekia Reece
Just as the right timing can determine how effective your date rape talk is, so is what you say and how you say it. "It's essentially important that parents realize date rape can happen to any gender," Domitrz says. "For instance, if you only thought it happened to females and your male son were sexually assaulted and you didn't believe him, imagine the horror of him trying to move forward and seek help or counseling."
Jane Covner, mother of a 19-year-old son who recently went off to college, understands this and has discussed the subject with her son. "I told him, as a general rule, not to take any drink unless he's poured it himself," she says. Furthermore, she's taught him that it's best if he opens the container himself. "He's young and heterosexual, but he needs to protect himself just like everyone else."
One aspect of talking about date rape that parents often have questions about is whether it's better to have one "big" discussion or to constantly address the issue. Bonnie Russell, owner and operator of www.familylawcourts.com, says it's definitely better to address the issue again and again. "Never stop talking," she says. "Keep it fresh and keep it new. Then the child becomes vigilant to recognize potentially bad situations and avoid them."
