Gaylen Kapperman

Gaylen Kapperman

Professor Emeritus
Northern Illinois University, Visual Disability Training Program

[email protected]

Lessons Learned

• Many teachers of blind children do not understand that their students are at high risk for child sex abuse
• Many teachers of blind children receive little or no training regarding mandated reporting
• Teachers of blind children do not know how to effectively train their students on how to recognize child sex abuse

Resources Developed

• Knowledge is power – AER presentation + Handouts (Coming Soon)
  Kelly S., & Kapperman, G. (2024) Knowledge is Power for Young Children with Visual Impairments and Learners with Visual and Multiple Impairments: How Knowing One’s Own Body is Important for Safety and Well-Being, Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired, International Conference, Charlotte, NC. 

Suggested Resources

• Our efforts are concentrated on the prevention of child sex abuse perpetrated against children who are blind or visually impaired. Very unfortunately, no other individuals on the planet concentrate their efforts in this area. Kelly and I are the only ones who present and publish in this area.
• Very unfortunately, the conduct of research in this area is nearly impossible to conduct given the very sensitive nature of the topic. Individuals either have no knowledge to share with us or refuse to provide any information that they may have.
• We have reviewed texts written by authors who have knowledge about child sex abuse in general. For example the 2020 text Confronting Child Sexual Abuse by A. M. Nurse, published by Lever Press [ISBN 9781643150321, 9781643150338, 9781643150338]

Collaborative Areas of Interest

• All aspects of the recognition and prevention of child sex abuse