Teach children to identify private body parts, instruct them to report any inappropriate touch or secrecy demands, and believe without blaming if they disclose

Educational programs teaching children personal safety significantly increase protective self-defense behaviors in simulated stranger-lure evaluations, without increasing anxiety or fear. Because a large majority of child sexual abuse is committed by acquaintances or trusted adults, parents must explicitly teach children anatomical privacy boundaries, instruct them that no one is allowed to touch private parts or ask them to keep secrets, and promise they will never be scolded for telling. If a child tells you something happened, believe them immediately, never scold them, and take them to medical examination and police reporting.

Free. Involves brief conversational explanations during everyday routines such as bathing or getting dressed, reinforced periodically. The emotional challenge is overcoming parental awkwardness discussing anatomy and maintaining calm, supportive composure if a child discloses an incident.

A 2015 Cochrane systematic review of 24 school-based education trials (5,802 students aged 5–18) demonstrated that child safety programs substantially increased self-protective behaviors: in simulated behavioral assessments using adult lures, instructed children were 5.7 times more likely to demonstrate appropriate protective skills compared to controls (odds ratio OR 5.71; 95% CI 1.98–16.51; 795 per 1,000 vs. 390 per 1,000). Knowledge retention remained significant at 6-month follow-up (SMD 0.69; 95% CI 0.51–0.87), with no adverse effects on fear or anxiety (SMD −0.08; 95% CI −0.22 to 0.07). The UNESCO International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education recommends introducing anatomical terminology for genital parts to children aged 5–8, reinforcing bodily autonomy and teaching the "No-Go-Tell" rule: say "no," run away, and report to a trusted adult. Chinese public education guidelines provide a memorable rule: "Areas covered by a swimsuit (vest and underwear) cannot be seen or touched by anyone." Article 16 and Article 40 of the Law on the Protection of Minors mandate age-appropriate safety education and establish mandatory reporting requirements for schools, healthcare institutions, and hospitality facilities to notify public security authorities immediately upon discovering actual or suspected child abuse. National prosecutorial white papers recorded that over 7% of prosecuted child protection cases originated directly through the mandatory reporting mechanism, noting that acquaintance perpetrators account for a substantial majority of offences against children.

Graded B because trials assess proxy milestones (protective skills in simulations and questionnaire knowledge) rather than longitudinal lifetime victimization rates. Practical home rules: teach children proper anatomical terms, explain that anyone asking them to keep secrets from parents is violating safety boundaries, and assure them they will never get in trouble for speaking up. If a child discloses abuse, reassure them that it is not their fault, do not bathe them or change their clothing prior to forensic examination (see Chapter 13, Rule 42), and immediately dial 110 to report to the police regardless of the perpetrator's relationship (teacher, neighbor, or family member). Legal liabilities involving minors under 14 are detailed in Chapter 9, Rule 18.

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