Respect! My Body!: A handbook for grown-ups on how to talk with children about body boundaries and sexual abuse

NOTE: This material has been updated and is available here (Swedish and English only).

Some parents feel confident dealing with more concrete issues like teaching their children the values of right and wrong – but what happens when you want to talk openly with young children about their own bodies, sexuality and boundaries?  How do you teach children at an early age that their body is their own and that no one can touch it without permission?  And how do you warn them about inappropriate adult behaviour or help them respond when they feel threatened or uncomfortable?

The handbook “Respect! My Body!” [Stopp! Min kropp!], released by Save the Children Sweden as part of their integrated child sexual abuse campaign, offers advice and tips to parents and other adults on how to teach children of different ages to protect themselves from sexual abuse and how to speak openly about sexuality, private body parts, safe and unsafe touching, and what is and what is not allowed for adults to do when in contact with children.

To improve children’s abilities to recognise inappropriate physical contact and to empower children to protect themselves and disclose abuse should be a priority for all responsible adults.