The STOPLight

A Profile of RISSK

What is it?

A wake-up call for parents. An awareness tool for teachers. An eye-opener for kids. A magazine called RISSK—Risks, Issues and Safety Strategies for Kids.

What’s it about?

RISSK will "focus on the often unrecognized or misunderstood dangers of sexual exploitation faced by today’s children, youth and young adults." It is meant to provoke and encourage conversation between kids and their parents.

Its format is varied to include factual data and human interest stories presenting information in plain language without sensationalizing. Topics planned include: recruitment tactics of pimps; case histories of kids on the streets and their struggles to leave; how to recognize tactics used on the Internet to get kids into prostitution or pornography; safety strategies kids can use to handle threatening situations; what’s happening in the legislature regarding child safety and prostitution; how rural and suburban kids end up on city streets; how pedophiles operate, and other relevant topics.

Who should read it?

Kids ages 13 to 18. Parents and concerned citizens. Teachers, school administrators, social workers, law enforcement officers and judges. Legislators, religious and community leaders. In short, everyone who is concerned about the safety and well-being of children.

Who publishes it and why?

The magazine was launched by The Paul & Lisa Program, Inc., a nonprofit group established in 1980 to prevent prostitution and sexual exploitation of children. The magazine is an extension of and used in conjunction with their prevention education and community awareness efforts.