ABC Afterschool Specials (TV Series) Don't Touch (1985) User Reviews

well made TV movie about child sexual abuse

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 10 March 2006]

This was a brave film that was a bit ahead of its time. It is told from the viewpoint of a teenage baby sitter. She sees personality changes in a cute little girl and slowly starts to wonder if, perhaps, this little girl is the victim of sexual abuse. Slowly, she is able to confirm that a family friend, played by Lenny von Dohlen, has indeed been molesting her. At first, her family cannot believe this is occurring but the young sitter pushes because she loves this helpless little girl,...and because she, too, had been victimized and she wouldn't let it happen to the girl. It's a real tear-jerker, by the way, but done extremely sensitively. It is strongly recommended--particularly as a film you can watch with your own kids in order to open up a dialog about this taboo topic. Those who made this film should be proud.

Handled With Care

[shelbythuylinh · 9/10 · 15 December 2021]

When a teen babysitter that has her own child abuse experiences when her young friend six-year old Molly has been having strange behavior it is not until that Karen the babysitter had in the needing to come to terms with her past.

And trying to come up with ways to expose the child abuser that is a friend and working partner of Molly's parents there. Despite being quiet to protect Molly it becomes beyond overwhelming there.

It will take courage and healing to get the truth out.

Sensitive subject handled very well

[moviewatcher2010 · 21 November 2003]

This short feature deals with the sensitive subject of molestation, and handles it well. In the story, Karen, a teenager, babysits a six-year old girl named Molly, and starts to notice certain behaviors in Molly that cause Karen suspicion that the child is being molested. Karen's suspicions come about when her own memories are brought to the surface about being molested by her uncle as a child. She is desperate to protect Molly, who keeps quiet about what her parents' friend is doing to her, at his gentle prompting when he is alone with Molly. When a situation arises that will put Molly in more danger, Karen quickly comes up with a plan to bring the truth out in the open and expose what the family friend is doing.

I felt the subject matter was handled very well and keeps everything "clean", which makes this more an educational tool than a grueling drama on sexual abuse.

I'm Looking Through The After School Special's And Shocked At What We Watched!

[jsmith98-1 · 1/10 · 12 November 2022]

This is a very sensitive subject and it's really crazy that those of us who are Gen-Xers watched these After School Specials and generally alone! We grew up as "latchkey" kids and we basically raised ourselves. It's just unbelievable that we we're allowed and actually encouraged to watch these topics that dealt with drugs, molestation , drunk driving, and teen pregnancy without the supervision of adults! This was the Reagan Years and more often than not, both parents where working to make ends meet! It's just insane that now library's are pulling books off the shelves that they think are doing harm to our youth , yet we watched Scott Baio smoke pot on the TV . I remember watching several of the ones between 1979 through 1985. They dealt with HIV, gonorrhea, and child abuse. It's just unbelievable how backwards this country is headed and how anything about sex education or sexuality is now taboo! If parents don't have a talk with their kids about sex and drugs in this modern day, then we are heading in the wrong direction!