Parents should teach their children to respect their bodies in order to prevent sexual abuse. Sexual assault has a lifelong effect on a victim’s life and mentality. The crime not only destroys and diminishes a person’s personality, but also turning another perpetrator into a statistic. Teaching children how dangerous, cruel, and unapologetic this world and the people in it can be. Children should be aware of what could possibly happen and ways to prevent these situations. Focusing on ways to allow for parents and children to learn about sexual abuse is important. There are stakeholders, and people who do not agree with the argument. 

Sexual assault has a lifelong effect on a victim’s life and mentality. The crime not only destroys and diminishes a person’s personality, but also turning another perpetrator into a statistic. Teaching children how dangerous, cruel, and unapologetic this world and the people in it can be. There are multiple stakeholders including, sexual assault victims, families of sexual assault victim, sexual assaulters, families of sexual assaulter, prison systems, counselors and therapist, future family members of victims, friends of victims, and friends of sexual assaulters. The victim, their friends, and their families are stakeholders in the argument, because sexual assault to should come to an end and justice for all creates a happier, healthier, and safer environment to live. The prison system makes money off the assaulter’s mistakes and doesn’t necessarily believe sexual assault is not a crime, but crime runs the business of a prison. The assaulter either has a severe mental illness and feels no remorse for his/ her actions, or seek help from councilors or family members to recover. The assaulter may also be extremely uneducated on what sexual assault is and has had no idea their actions were even to be put in that category. The family of the assaulter have a stake, because they have a family member who has committed such a horrendous crime. Councilors and therapist make a profit off sexual assault, discussing the crime with the victim and the accused. The victim will need to discuss mental and physical issues with counselors and therapist, as well as the person who committed the crime, because both will have mental instability for the rest of their lives. 

The discussion of the seriousness child sexual abuse is relatively new. Only about forty years ago did congress begin to get serious on the topic. “In 1974, the U.S. Congress passed the first national legislation providing minimal definition of child maltreatment. This definition includes the “physical and mental injury, sexual abuse, neglected treatment, or maltreatment of a child under age 18 by a person who is responsible of the child’s welfare under circumstances which indicate that the child’s health and welfare is harmed and threatened thereby”. This legislation is the Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA)” (Brotherson). Research and studies have been conducted through the years in order to begin to wonder what exactly is child sexual abuse, who are the abusers, and the occurrence rate. As a result of these studies laws and bills were passed. “Specific laws vary by state, but sexual assault generally refers to any crime in which the offender subjects the victim to sexual touching that is unwanted and offensive” (Sexual Assault Overview). 

Prevention of sexual abuse and uncomfortable situations with future sexual partners all begin with a discussion between guardian and young woman. The talk about her body, mind, and soul brings strong respect for herself and an understanding that everyone deserves to be respected. Peggy Orenstein discusses the problems of young girls learning about their reproductive organs through sex education at school or through the internet when she explains how “Girls expressed a sense of shame around their genitals, a sense they were simultaneously icky and sacred” (Orenstein). Young girls should discuss their private areas and how they work with their mothers in order to not only become informed that each and every part of their body is important and special, but to create the bond between mother and child. These conversations may be uncomfortable; however, they are greatly necessary in order to have a society full of proud and informed young women. 

Listening and making an effort to understand the opinion of others can be difficult; however, it isn’t impossible. There are many ways to educate children on the importance of protecting their bodies and about sexual assault in general. Parents should be the ones to teach their children about sexual assault. Although parents should be the primary informant, there are many ways and reasons to teach a child about sexual abuse, such as the method used by Walsh et al. in their study, “School-based education programs for the prevention of child sexual abuse,” Walsh et al. argue that sexual abuse can be prevented through programs that educate children about the topic in school. While others, such as Jane sademan believe children have no business learning of such content and argue that parents shouldn’t teach their children the underwear rule in order to prevent them from thinking every person is bad.

Walsh et al. argue children should be taught about sexual abuse in school in order to prevent or lower the rate at which children are sexually abused. They understand “Child sexual abuse is a significant global problem” (Walsh et al.). In order to prevent or decrease the rate of occurrence of sexual abuse, they conducted a study to explain how programs implemented in schools intended to teach children about sexual abuse, whether “contact or non-contact”, can reduce the issue (Walsh et al). Their study more specifically assessed “whether programmes are effective in improving students’ protective behaviors and knowledge about sexual abuse prevention” (Walsh et al). I believe children learning about sexual assault in school is not an ideal way for them to learn. Children should not be taught about sexual abuse in a public setting, because the discussion can be uncomfortable, scary, or intimidating for a particular child. Every child is different, only a parent truly knows and understands how their child will learn best. Leaving the choice to parents also gives them the freedom for their child to learn certain topics at a specific age. The parent should be the authority figure who first introduces the topic of potential sexual assault. Programs in schools are made in order to teach all students in the program collectively about sexual assault. Children should have an introduction to the topic that is sensitive to their own individual maturity. Parents should be the individuals to provide children with the support and individualized explanations of sexual abuse. School teachers don’t have the bond with one single child as a parent does, and shouldn’t be the first, or main source to provide information about sexual abuse. 

Walsh et al rely on the use of a logical appeal. Their article is based on an experiment they conducted, which “included 24 studies, conducted with a total of 5802 participants in primary (elementary) and secondary (high) schools in the United States, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey” (Walsh et al). Their studies questioned the results of school-based prevention programs which used a variety of methods to teach children: films, plays, songs, puppets, books, and games. After the studies were conducted, they decided to test whether or not the programs helped students to identify sexual abuse. The control group, which had no program, reported about 4 in 1,000 students could identify they had been sexually abused. The group that was given access to the programs reported 14 in 1,000 cases where students were able to identify they were sexually abused. This study is a great experiment on how school involvement in sexual abuse discussions can have a great impact on a child’s ability to detect and report sexual abuse however, parental involvement is necessary to this topic. Parents who are able to help their children personally relate to certain situations and give their children a safe, loving, and judgement free outlet to come and discuss their issues with their parents is crucial. School programs cannot give children such ease and comfort as a parent can provide. 

Walsh et al has a very strong basis to their claim on how to go about having uncomfortable conversations with children about sexual abuse. Allowing school programs to have these discussions with children is a step in the right direction. Walsh et al has the right idea to create an environment of respectful, comforting, and informative programs to allow children to have safe havens as well as a place to learn about sex and sexual assault. Sandy Wurtele and Kenny Maureen confirm my argument stating, 

“Although research demonstrates that child-focused sexual abuse prevention programmes can teach children personal safety knowledge and skills, childhood sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programmes that involve parents have a number of distinct advantages. The more knowledge parents have about CSA, the greater likelihood they can create safer environmenets for their children and thus prevent the occurrence of sexual exploitation. Research has demonstrated that parents lack crucial information about CSA and can benefit from even brief educational efforts… Recommendations for parent education programmes are offered, including improving parents’ confidence and skills in educating their children about CSA, providing them with parent-friendly materials to use and developing internet applications” (Sandy Wurtele and Kenny Maureen).

Walsh et al’s idea of child sexual abuse (CSA) programmes, combined with Wurtele and Maureen’s programmes to include parents in order to give them the useful skills and knowledge to help inform their children about CSA. The combination of these two programmes will provide the optimal strategy to provide children the correct information about CSA. Walsh et al’s strategy is informative and useful, however alone it’s not the optimal strategy.

Jane Sandeman argues against “the message the NSPCC wants to promote…parents should talk to their children about abuse and how to stay safe” (Sandeman). The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) came up with a campaign named “Underwear Rule”, which declares “1) their body belongs to them; 2) they have a right to say no; and 3) they should always tell an adult if they are upset or worried” (Sandeman). Sandeman believes this causes children to view all adults as having the potential of “being pedophiles”. And, she doesn’t believe the underwear rule will increase the rate at which children seek help from a parent or adult after they have been sexually abused. She truly believes “very few children will experience sexual abuse. Most children live in loving, caring homes and are able to enjoy the innocence of childhood” (Sandeman). While Sandeman is correct that children should be encouraged to seek help, the view that allowing children to have an awareness of what could potentially happen will cause them to view all adults as pedophiles is far-fetched and ignorant. 

Sandeman seems to only focus on the fact that children will be brainwashed into believing all adults are bad and will harm them in any way. Her uses no logical or authoritative appeals to his audience. Her argument is strictly based off of his own opinion, with no evidence to back to claim. Sandeman’s argument is a purposeful strawman. She takes a nuanced approach to help children understand bodily anatomy and pervert it into an extreme because it is then easier to attack. Jane appeals to her audience, by using a scare tactic. She fears mongers parents into believing if they teach their children the underwear rule, they will believe all adults are out to hurt them. His only attempt to bring logic into her argument is when he makes the claim most children will not experience sexual abuse. This claim is not only false, but causes a mindset that just because all children aren’t sexually abused, discussing it with children is unnecessary. One in every four girls and one in every six boys will be sexually abused at one point in their life, and they are usually abused by someone the child knows (Orenstein). 

Jane Sandeman, Kerryan Walsh, Karen Zwi, Susan Woolfeden, and Aron Shlonsky all mean well in their attempt to discuss the topic of child sexual abuse which is overlooked too often in this society, however their tactics and ideologies in going about dealing with the problem don’t fit my argument, which is parents should sit and have multiple discussions with their children about sexual abuse and where and when as well as whom is appropriate to touch them inappropriately. 

Child sexual abuse is a relevant problem. Parents discussing the effects, and preventative steps with children will cause a decrease in the rate of CSA. Those who oppose the idea of teaching children to protect their bodies from unwanted and uncomfortable situations are ignorant and tend to attack the weak side of arguments trying to give resources and help to parents trying to portray CSA information to their young children. There are many different methods to informing children about CSA. Parental figures should make the steps to try and protect their children at all cost.
