“My Body Belongs to Me” Makes a Difficult Discussion Easier
by Jill Starishevsky
The children’s book, “My Body Belongs to Me,” written by New York City prosecutor of child abuse and sex crimes Jill Starishevsky, teaches children that their bodies are their own. Using her decade of experience, Ms. Starishevsky, mother of two, has crafted a book that speaks to children – it makes them aware that when it comes to their bodies, there are boundaries. The book encourages them to tell a parent or teacher if someone touches their “private parts.” Inspired by one of Starishevsky’s young sexual abuse victims who followed Oprah Winfrey’s advice and outcried after watching an episode of her show, “My Body Belongs to Me” is geared toward children ages three to ten. It tells the story of a child who is inappropriately touched by an uncle’s friend.
The clear message of “My Body Belongs to Me” is that if someone inappropriately touches you, tell. “Just as we carefully teach youngsters what to do in case of fire, we must teach them what to do if someone touches them,” urges Starishevsky. Surprisingly, until now, there were no age-appropriate books available to help adults discuss this subject with young children. “My Body Belongs to Me” fills this void and facilitates this dialogue in a straightforward yet sensitive manner. Pattie Fitzgerald, founder of Safely Ever After, a safety program for parents and kids, proclaims, “I have been teaching child safety classes for nearly ten years, and this is the first children’s book I’ve seen that really addresses the issues in a way that kids can understand and that doesn’t seem scary or heavy-handed.”
“‘My Body Belongs to Me’ makes a difficult discussion easier. Unfortunately, parents often avoid this conversation until it is too late. By saying nothing to our children, we are sending them out there defenseless,” said Starishevsky. Parents and educators need to start taking measures to protect children before they are hurt. This book offers one of the most important lessons we need to share with our children. As licensed family and child therapist Kimberley Clayton Blaine notes, “Prevention is key when it comes to children’s personal safety. Kudos to Ms. Starishevsky for taking on this project.”
Ms. Starishevsky has dedicated her career to seeking justice for victims of child abuse and sex crimes. Outside the courtroom, her fondness for writing led her to create thepoemlady.com, where she pens personalized pieces. Her mission to protect children, along with her penchant for poetry, inspired “My Body Belongs to Me”. Starishevsky is also founder of HowsMyNanny.com, a service that enables parents to purchase a license plate for their child’s stroller so the public can report positive or negative nanny observations. Ms. Starishevsky has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN International, Donny Deutsch’s The Big Idea and Fox News National among other news programs. Utilizing this platform, Ms. Starishevsky hopes to globally spread awareness about child sexual abuse prevention to ultimately stop the silence.
“My Body Belongs to Me” is available for online purchase through www.MyBodyBelongstoMe.com
