I recently had several adult friends tell me that they have preteen children, between 10-13 years of age, with whom they have never once discussed the issues of sex – or for that matter – of child sexual abuse! As the author of Father Figure – My Mission To Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, I found this information quite alarming, because age-appropriate education is one of the main factors involved in prevention.
Though a conversation about sexuality may indeed feel uncomfortable to both parents and children alike, it is nevertheless an essential step in helping kids develop a healthy, age appropriate understanding of sex and the crucial difference between good touch and bad touch, in regards to child sexual abuse and their relationships with adults.
As I explain in Father Figure, it is kids who know nothing about either of these two issues who are at a much higher risk of falling prey to sexual predators that are skilled at manipulating children.