Protecting Our Children: Teaching Body Autonomy & Sexual Abuse Prevention

In today’s deeply necessary conversation, Holly is joined by Victoria Barendsen, a registered psychologist, trauma specialist, and mother of two who has spent the past eight years supporting families through some of the most tender, painful, and transformative parts of parenting. At the heart of her work is one core mission — one that reflects her commitment to empowering parents with the confidence and tools they need to educate their children about body safety.

As the founder of The Safe Kids Project, Victoria is passionate about prevention: helping parents raise safe, confident, and empowered children through clear language, strong boundaries, and open-hearted communication.

Victoria believes that body safety isn’t about having “the talk” once — it’s about consistently weaving body autonomy, consent, and boundaries into daily life. She shares how to make these conversations natural, age-appropriate, and shame-free — rooted in trust and clarity rather than fear. Because when we start early, use empowering language, and create a culture of connection, we lay the foundation for true safety and body sovereignty.

This episode is full of real, practical tools to help parents and caregivers protect children — not through fear-mongering, but through knowledge, presence, and empowered action.

We explore the uncomfortable but essential truths around sexual abuse — including the reality that it most often happens not at the hands of strangers, but from people close to the family, or even other children. Victoria shares how to spot subtle signs of abuse or grooming, how to navigate sleepovers and boundary-setting with other adults, and how to create a safe space at home where your child feels secure enough to come to you if something ever happens.

Victoria brings not only her clinical expertise as a trauma-informed psychologist, but also the lived wisdom of a mother — someone who is walking this path right alongside the parents she supports. Through her online course, Body Safety Education for Parents, and her library of free resources, she’s helped hundreds of families feel more equipped, confident, and proud of the way they’re raising their children.

📲Connect with Victoria:

• Instagram
• Tik Tok
• Website

🔗Resources from Victoria:

• Free Body Autonomy Affirmation Cards

• Body Safety Book Recommendations 

• Sleepovers & Playdates Checklist

• Foundations for Body Safety Course for Parents

  
  

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