[Christmas Dynasnow]

Yes warn them about bad people, what is private (ie no one should touch you here save your mummy or at a doctors etc) and keep the specifics away from them

[Candy Annie Cane]

Originally Posted by Livia

I think all kids need to know how to be safe and how to voice their fears if they're feeling threatened or vulnerable. I don't think they need to know too much about the actual act... they're already made to grow up really fast.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Yes warn them about bad people, what is private (ie no one should touch you here save your mummy or at a doctors etc) and keep the specifics away from them

Agree with these.....they also need to be taught that even if someone says bad things will happen if you tell they won't, bad stuff with end.

[Ninastar]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Yes warn them about bad people, what is private (ie no one should touch you here save your mummy or at a doctors etc) and keep the specifics away from them

yeah, I agree with this as well.

I remember I was sick at school when we lived in America and the school couldn't contact my mum or dad and the second option to come and collect me was our female neighbor. But she was at work and when the school called her home, her husband came and picked me up. I didn't really mind, I was just happy to not be at school. Anyway so he took my back to his house and lets me watch the TV on the couch.

My mum picks me up like 20 mins later or so and as soon as we're alone, she's like 'Did he touch you anywhere? Did he watch you get changed?' etc etc etc and I had literally no idea why she was asking me all this. He didn't do anything and stayed away from me the whole time.

Anyway, a few years later when we live in the UK, we find out that this man has been arrested and sent to jail for doing something 'indecent' to his own daughter. I'm glad my mum made her judgements and could tell that there was something strange about him. And I think she was right to ask me if anything happened. I think if I had known what 'could' have happened, I'd have not gone outside the house every again.

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

This - exactly.

Agree......we should teach them about Stranger Danger and inappropriate touching. But don't we do that already.

No need to explain "Rape" to an 11 year old is all its graphic gory detail. That would itself be a form of rape... raping the young girls innocence away. Pretty tenuous analogy I know but we have no right to thrust an 11 year old mind into full on sexual deviancy.

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

Agree......we should teach them about Stranger Danger and inappropriate touching. But don't we do that already.

No need to explain "Rape" to an 11 year old is all its graphic gory detail. That would itself be a form of rape... raping the young girls innocence away. Pretty tenuous analogy I know but we have no right to thrust an 11 year old mind into full on sexual deviancy.

Why do you assume they are going to make it graphic or gory??
I have taught my children from a young age about inappropriate touching, and my daughter and I have discussed and watch documentaries about women all over the world faced with forced marriage and rape. I have never made it graphic or gory.

There is a common sense way to present the topic and to discuss it. Since children seem to be inundated with media sexualization and we are being told teens are becoming sexually active at the age of 12 or earlier... why not let them know that sex at that age is inappropriate, that no one should make you feel like it is ok to have sex so young, and that they have the power to say no or to stop it from happening?

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by Mokkajava

Why do you assume they are going to make it graphic or gory??
I have taught my children from a young age about inappropriate touching, and my daughter and I have discussed and watch documentaries about women all over the world faced with forced marriage and rape. I have never made it graphic or gory.

There is a common sense way to present the topic and to discuss it. Since children seem to be inundated with media sexualization and we are being told teens are becoming sexually active at the age of 12 or earlier... why not let them know that sex at that age is inappropriate, that no one should make you feel like it is ok to have sex so young, and that they have the power to say no or to stop it from happening?

The way you describe above would be OK but you are not really discussing Rape as that would require a discussion that would necessitate some pretty dark descriptions . So I think the word rape is a bit misleading in this context.

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

The way you describe above would be OK but you are not really discussing Rape as that would require a discussion that would necessitate some pretty dark descriptions . So I think the word rape is a bit misleading in this context.

I think that is my point as well overall. Rape is a bad word and holds very violent and disgusting images in society as a whole... but for children to be aware about rape factually, that your neighbour, uncle, dad, aunty, etc... are not showing you love by performing these sexual acts to you or with you, is information they need to know so that later in life it doesn't come back on them when they realize they were allowed to say no or tell someone what was happening.

Rape is dark yes, but it also happens to children through manipulation because they don't know it is dark. We don't need to scare them, we need to give them a voice and the power to say no to it.

[Angelika]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

....we should teach them about Stranger Danger and inappropriate touching. But don't we do that already.

Statistics show that children are far more at risk of sexual grooming and abuse from adults already in their family or circle of friends.

Stranger Danger, while done to death for years, never prepares a child for the well known and loved adult in their close family circle who takes advantage of them. How does one tell children that those who love them most may be the dangerous adults in their lives!

There are countless examples of fathers, brothers, uncles, school masters, doctors, teachers, hostel staff, carers, staff in nursery and play school etc. who have been responsible for the greatest threat to young children.

I don't know the solution to this terrible problem other than having our children cared for by robots.