An organization that I am involved with asked me to write a quick guide about how to talk to kids about rape and sexual assault. I was stunned to find almost nothing on the web that helped parents discuss such an important - albeit scary - subject. So, I wrote the following quick guide.

A friend of mine was arrested over the weekend, arraigned for third-degree rape and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. 

This is not a blog post about whether or not he did this. I have an opinion, which I will not share. This is a post - or maybe just a query - about how I handle this situation.

I was just perusing the blogs on Blogher.org, and there was a post from a member stating the obvious and shameful truth that no one talks about rape. And it's true. And when it is discussed, it is discussed in hushed tones, whispered in ears with fingers slyly pointing in the general direction of someone seen as a victim, "she was raped, you know."