European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 7, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Which  threatening stories by Tony Nauroth Nuernberg Bureau w Hen Erlanger elementary school nurse John Doherty tested the Waters of child abuse knowledge wit third and fifth graders he found that children know the darn est things. Of the nine children randomly selected for the discussions All showed a Good grasp of what physical and sexual abuse was and How to protect themselves. I am genuinely surprised but pleasantly surprised Doherty said after the discussions which a stars and stripes reporter was allowed to observe. That however was the Silver lining around the dark Cloud. Six of the nine named friends who suffered abuse and two recounted close Calls they had had. The dark Cloud did not Surprise Doherty. That runs about even with the National average he said which is about 80  the High figure is the percentage of children who have been exposed to some form of child abuse. It also highlights the need for Strong healthy child abuse prevention. The children talked freely about abuse. They provided thoughtful responses to Doherty s questions. They delved into the subject As if they knew they were at risk but not with paranoia. Most parents who do have reservations about teaching children to be wary of strange adult behaviour Are worried that their children will become fearful of All adults Doherty said. But kids know which adults Are threatening and which Are  he asked the children if they can Tell the difference Between the adult whose touch is acceptable and one whose touch should be discouraged. All said yes. If a grownup is going to Hurt me i get a funny tickle in my stomach one said. If he is being Good i feel  the children said they Learned How to Deal with potential abuse through parental warnings classroom instruction mostly in the state the police including military polic Mcguff the crime dog and Public service announcements on an television. One fifth grader told of an incident in the states. A Friend had been sexually assaulted by her Stepfather who threatened her if she told on  the Girlfriend told her Mother of the assault who in turn reported the Stepfather to the police. A social worker came and took her away to a Home she said. Doherty said most abuse is done by someone children know and threats against them or other family members Are common. Another child said she was playing outside her Erlanger housing Complex when a Man in a car invited her for a ride. I was really scared she said but my mom was at the Kitchen window and saw what was happening. She yelled at me Don t you dare get in that car i ran away but i la never forget  Doherty held the discussion to find out what children know about abuse and to improve a program he conducts. I Tell my kids that if someone is abusing them Tell someone they Trust Doherty said. And if that person does t listen Tell someone else and keep doing that until someone  Doherty said school administrators and teachers must listen. His experience in Nuernberg area schools is that administrators Are willing even insistent that some child abuse prevention program be taught. Joan Klose principal of the Erlanger elementary school includes child abuse prevention skills in Doherty s annual performance evaluation. It certainly lets me know that she is supportive of this program Doherty said. It s a Volunteer program one Doherty likes to conduct. He s frequently asked if discussing child abuse leads children to lie about it. That s not Likely Doherty said. First of All when a child describes the incident he uses words and descriptions rarely found in his  he used sodomy As an example. The description has to come from somewhere Doherty said adding that it s Best to believe the child just in Case it s  a problem is keeping children from becoming confused by their conflicting feelings. On one hand the sexual act May be satisfying the child s need for affection but at some Point the child realizes that this Type of affection is exploitive on the part of the adult he said. The abusing adult then May use the resulting guilt to continue the relationship. The abuser says you did t Stop me it s your fault.1 adults have no right to put children in that  he said incest creates a Bond that often does t Stop until  reaches adolescence and sees the adult doing the same things to a sibling. The child must never never never feel that it s their fault Doherty said. An adult has no right to take advantage of a child for his or her sexual  a More difficult problem is to convince children they can say no to an abusive adult. We Tell them not to talk Back not to disobey their elders Doherty said. But if we Don t teach them to draw the line somewhere an adult May Cross that line and damage that obedient  Doherty rated the nine a pretty sophisticated Bunch but said he would t be surprised if any random sampling turned out to be similarly sophisticated. The trouble is he said we Don t allow children to talk about abuse and so they Don t. They certainly knew More than i would have thought. I d say this group is pretty  Hild abuse child advocacy school nurse John Doherty with pupils of the american elementary school in Erlanger West Germany would like to see More regular classroom teachers Deal with preventing child abuse. S8.s photo by Tony Nauroth Healing hidden bruises John Doherty s duties As school nurse stretch beyond bruises and bandages Eye checks and hearing  tries to help heal the hidden bruises of child abuse and open youngsters eyes and ears to the dangers of sexual abuse. He assumes that role voluntarily because the department of defense dependents schools has no formal programs to prevent child abuse nor to make children aware of its dangers and How to confront them. Existing programs exist on a school by school basis. If someone wants to discuss abuse prevention there is a program. Dodds does not have an Overall policy or i curriculum Doherty said. Individual nurses in individual schools do what they  Doherty began a child abuse prevention program called Good touch bad touch last year at Johann Kalb elementary school in Fuerth Germany. That curriculum originally put together in the Giessen military Community was part of a comprehensive general health program stressing children s responsibility for their bodies. It included care and feeding safety and who May or May not touch them. When Doherty transferred this year to the Erlanger elementary school outside Nuernberg the Fuerth program ceased. But we do maintain an awareness Campaign said Kalb principal Mac. Annereau. Doherty meanwhile took the program with him to Erlanger. It includes candid classroom discussions and his being a role Model particularly for Young  does boys Good to see a grown Man treating Young ladies with respect and concern Doherty said. Doherty seems an Apt role Model. He s athletic looking straightforward and matter of fact. He s male and tender which he said is very important in developing healthy sexual attitudes in growing youngsters. Doherty projects an openness and trusting casualness to which children respond quickly. They come to him. With questions and discuss child abuse with the same straightforward treatment he gives the subject. Fit s something he believes they Are Able to do More comfortably with him than their parents. No. 1,1 Tell my kids that child abuse is not their fault. They Are the victims Doherty said. No. 2, i give them the language they need to discuss the subject and i give them permission to use that  Doherty earned his Bachelor s degree in social work in 1969 from the state University of new York at Buffalo. He taught for two years in Winthrop mass., and later worked in a Federal social service program setting up medical treatment centers to serve clusters of communities in Rural Maine. Supported by his wife Mary Anne now a nurse at Nuernberg elementary school Doherty went to nursing school when he was 28. Today at 38, Doherty blends his training As a nurse teacher and social worker into a package for Dodds. Doherty said he still must do Eye screening and primary health care often leaving Little time to work on special programs like child abuse prevention. Nurses in larger schools also have trouble finding time because there Are More children coming in with skinned Knees and upset stomachs Doherty said. Primary health care does come  Doherty said he would like to see More regular classroom teachers Deal with preventing child abuse. But he said teachers need to be taught How to Deal with the subject and How to know if a child is being abused. You be got to be very careful and sensitive to their signals Doherty said. If you re trained you can often spot that  Doherty said he s never received serious objections to teaching the subject either from parents or administrators. Instead he said if there s a history of abuse the new guardian or Parent often comes Forward and lets him know. It helps him to Deal with individual cases. Doherty said he is comfortable in his tender role of school nurse but he sometimes wonders if he should be doing something More ambitious. But the doubt passes quickly when he thinks about his daughters Arin 8, and Hannah 6. My interest in this definitely comes from my own awareness of the issues they will have to face he said. This is where i m  the stars and stripes Friday March 7, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 15