Let us get one thing straight; shall we?
Now when a teenager says he or she was sexually abused, this doesn’t necessarily mean he or she was raped. There are different forms of sexual abuse. Just imagine that a mentor or an elderly person who is supposed to look after you turns around and asks you to go to bed with him or her probably in exchange for certain kinds of favour; that’s one form of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse includes any form of sexual act or behavior with a child. In this sense, it is not only limited to outright sexual intercourse, but also the fondling of a child’s genitals, forcing the child to fondle an adult’s genitals, mouth-to-genital contact, or rubbing the adult’s genitals on the youngster. Other types of sexual abuse may also take place, even though they may not involve physical contact. For instance, when an adult exposes his or her genitals to an under-aged person or shows them pornographic pictures and videos…that is sexual abuse!
In our clime, it is not uncommon to hear stories of youngsters being abused by people they trust. Talk about sexual abuse in the homes of which close family members are culprits, sexual abuse in schools and even sexual abuse in churches. It’s almost as though teenagers cannot get some respite. Every teen is surely in danger of being sexually abused in one form or the other. But with the right precautionary mechanisms put in place, such attempts by pedophiles can be stalled. Read on to see how that can be done.
Every teen must be taught about the privacy of their private body parts right early on in life. These private body parts are special only you (and you alone) are entitled to see them; at least until you are grown enough to decide when to let others.
It’s also important for children to understand that while some touching is innocent, others aren’t. Take for instance an adult lovingly hugging a child is different from said adult putting his or her hand on a child’s buttocks or inner thighs.
A child should learn and know when to say no, especially when the touching crosses certain boundaries. And while it is good for young people to know all these safeguards, it’s also important that they learn to also respect the privacy of others.
In conclusion, don’t ever be shy to report any form of sexual abuse to someone who will help you address the injustice. Every child is entitled to their innocence until they are mature enough to decide sex.
