#PNN E-Mentoring (Taiwo Akinlami): Personal Safety/Self Protection For Teenagers: Guidelines To Responses (2)

I say a very good morning dear young friends. How are you doing today? Sure you are making the best of your elongated long vacation. I charge you to make a commitment to read and develop yourself. Your mind is an asset too great to waste. Please invest in it.

Today, as I promised last week, I will share my last thoughts on the matter of sexual abuse before I proceed to discuss with you how you can protect yourself from same.

Permit me to discuss with you what is generally referred to as ‘consensual sexual activity’ among children and teenager. As I have submitted in the past, sex is not meant for children, a child here, being anyone below the age of 18 years. The position that sex is not meant for children derives its authority from both legal and moral injunctions. If you are not moved by the moral part of it, you are of necessity expected to be moved by the legal part of the injunction.

In view of the foregoing, there is no such thing as ‘consensual sexual activity’ in relationship between children, noting that sexual relationship between children still constitutes an abuse of yourself and the other child, irrespective of the first person to initiate same. In the eye of the law, anyone below the age of eighteen years does not have the capacity to give consent to sexual relationship either for sexual intercourse or any other form of sexual activities, including oral sex. When two teenagers engage in what they call ‘consensual sexual activity’ it is still an abuse of each other’s bodies and it is contrary to the provisions of the law.  Please note that the matter is worse when children, who are younger, are engaged in sex by the older ones.

Please note that when I talk about ‘consensual sexual activity’ here I am not only talking about sex between people of the opposite sex. It is very sad to note today that children are now involved in same sex, particularly when they are in boarding schools. A woman recently told a story of how her son was sexually abused by older boys in a boarding school. In some cases sexual relationship with same sex between boys and boys and girls and girls are voluntary and this ought not to be so at all. In fact sexual relationship among children is very dangerous.

Now, beyond the provisions of the law, sexual relationship of any kind among children is a major distraction to your academic pursuit. The negative consequences are also enormous psychologically and physiologically.

Having kept my promise to share my last thoughts with you on the definition of sexual abuse, I will now proceed most excited to sharing with you measures you can take to protect yourself from same. But that will not be today as I am compelled by space to sign out now. I look forward to receiving you then on this same page. Remember, I am available on this platform for interaction. Do have an INSPIRED week. Stay SMART!