How To Protect Your Children From Sexual Predators And Pedophiles
With the recent rise in sexual predators and pedophiles, children are being robbed of their childhood and innocence on a daily basis. To protect them, we are tempted to keep them in some form of shell. But the thing is, you can’t be with your children all the time. At some point they are going to leave your sight for one perfectly good reason or the other.
Sexual abuse is any sexual act forced on an unwilling party. Many children fall victims and a large number of them may never speak up. They may feel too ashamed or afraid to come out with it. It is for this reason that you need to discuss sex education with your ward from a very tender age. You won’t always be there at all times to protect them, therefore it is only wise you prepare and educate your children for any such scenario.
Many young abused kids do not fully understand the implication of sexual things being done to them or sexual things they are being asked to do. As guardians it is our duty not to shy away from sex related topics when discussing with our children, this may just save them from sexual abuse. Rather than keep them in a shell where they remain blissfully ignorant of the hazards of society, why not teach them what to do should such things occur.
Teach your children about their body: Teach them about their sex organs, how sacred and important it is to them and should therefore be kept private. Make them understand that it is not okay to touch anyone’s privates or allow anyone touch theirs. When you bath them, ensure that they first learn how to wash their privates. So with time, they can start doing this task by themselves so people don’t have to touch them in those places. When cleaning up for your children show them how it should be done and tell them no one should poke them in these private places for any reason. They ought to know that, should they become uncomfortable with anyone’s touch, they should immediately move away. Don’t let it be a onetime thing, continuously teach them and warn them about such things. Arm them with full information broken down to their level for adequate consumption, knowledge is power.
Create an atmosphere of friendship and trust with your ward: Build a solid relationship with your children. Show them that, they can trust you with their worries and insecurities. Make them feel comfortable enough to ask you just about anything no matter how sensitive it may be. Teach them that they should be no secrets between you and they should come straight to you if someone asks them to keep secrets from their parents or whenever they get scared. Invest in building a relationship of trust with your children. Then, they can open up to you about anything no matter how bad or shameful it may seem. Let them know you are there to protect them no matter what.
Finally, always be vigilant and careful about whom you entrust the care of your children to. Research states that 90% of children being sexually abused are abused, not by strangers, but by people they are familiar with. Don’t just arm your children with information; watch out for them as well. Being guilty of over protectiveness is way better than being guilty of neglect.
