This article is a continuation on the topic 'How to prevent your child from sexual abuse' Read up part 1 here
More often than not, we teach our children all sorts of ways to keep themselves safe ranging from personal hygiene to keeping good relationships but little is done in educating them about body safety. According to the research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.
None should be allowed to take pictures of their private parts.
This is another part that most parents missed. The world is full of paedophiles who love to trade with the pictures of naked children online. This is dangerous to allow anyone take their pictures naked as it can also be used to blackmail them to fulfil their sexual demands. Tell your children that no one is allowed to take pictures of their private parts naked.
Teach them how to come out of frightening situations
Some children are tensed telling people ‘’No’’ especially the adults. Teach them that it is fine to say ‘’no’’ and leave whenever they feel uncomfortable around anybody regardless of the age. Help them by teaching them that if someone trespassed by touching their private parts, they should say no and beg to leave.
Reduce their fear of getting into trouble if they tell you body secret
Children often hide under the guise of not getting into trouble so they resort to not telling anybody about body secrets. It is an erroneous notion by them that when they say it, it could lead them into trouble. The fear of saying it out is then ride on by perpetrators to get at them. Teach your children that no matter what happens, they should confide in you for adequate safety and will NEVER get into any trouble.
Educate them on good touch, bad touch and secret touch
Parents and the books generally talks about the categorisation of touch that is “good touch and bad touch” but this could be confusing to them because both touches do not hurt or make them feel bad. We suggest to parents to use the right term as ‘’secret touch’’ as it well represent what could happen eventually.
Tell them that the rule is universal
The rule of not letting anyone into their private part is a universal rule regardless of your position and affinity to the child. Mummy and Daddy can touch you there when cleaning you up and when applying cream to your body - but no one else should be allowed to touch you there.
Sexual abuse is demeaning and emotionally and psychologically draining to the victim, protect your child from being abused by teaching them at early stage how to prevent it when it crop up.
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Nwajei Babatunde
Content creator for Vanaplus Group.
