As parents, we must talk to our children about sex abuse prevention. If you were abused as a child, it’s at your discretion whether you detail the events of your abuse to your child, but you at least need to have the conversation about what sex abuse is so they can protect themselves. Don’t make the mistake of believing they’re too young….this conversation needs to start early! Many victims are abused as early as 3 years old, if not younger, so teaching your children what appropriate and inappropriate touch is can help safeguard them from the sexual predator. Also, teaching them that they control what happens to their bodies, and that they have the right to say no to anyone’s touch gives them the power to speak up for themselves. Lastly, reassuring them that they can tell you if ANYONE is touching them in a way that makes them uncomfortable or violates the boundaries you’ve already taught is paramount.

If you were abused as a child and now you have fears about your children’s safety, that is normal. And, while your fears are warranted based on your own experience, you just don’t want your child to feel as if they live in a bubble and they have no understanding as to why. Therefore, you may need to explain your decisions to them in a manner that they can understand. For example, if you don’t allow them to sleep away from home or you don’t allow unsupervised play dates, let them know about your concerns for their overall safety and then try to construct alternatives like having the sleep over at your house or having play time at a venue that you are a little more comfortable with. There has to be a balance created to addresses your concerns while giving them the ability to just be a kid.