1. They won’t recognize unsafe behavior

If no one teaches them:

• what inappropriate touching is
• what coercion looks like
• that adults can also be dangerous
  they may not realize a situation is unsafe until it’s too late.

Children don’t naturally know what “rape” or “abuse” is — predators count on that innocence.

2. They may blame themselves

If something happens and no one ever taught them what abuse is or that it’s never their fault, many children assume:

• “I must have done something wrong”
• “I shouldn’t tell”
• “I’ll get in trouble”

The shame becomes even heavier because they have no framework to understand the situation.

3. They may not know that it’s okay to tell

Children who are never taught:

• “You can always tell me anything”
• “No one should ever keep secrets about touching”
• “Your body belongs to you”

…are much less likely to report grooming or abuse. Silence protects the abuser.

4. They become easier targets for predators

Predators look for kids who:

• don’t know the words for body parts
• don’t understand consent
• weren’t taught boundaries

These children are easier to manipulate and less likely to speak up.

5. It can create lifelong confusion about consent

Waiting until adulthood to explain consent, boundaries, and bodily autonomy causes:

• difficulty recognizing coercive partners
• confusion during intimate situations
• higher vulnerability to teen/young adult sexual violence

Many survivors say, “No one ever taught me what consent was.”

6. It increases generational silence

If one generation never talks about it, it continues. This silence:

• protects abusers
• isolates survivors
• teaches children that sexual topics are shameful or taboo

Far more damage comes from silence than from age-appropriate conversations.

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The safest approach is age-appropriate education

You don’t have to “traumatize” a child with graphic details. You teach them in language they understand:

• Ages 3–6: “Your body belongs to you. No secrets about touching.”
• Ages 7–10: “If someone tries to touch your private parts or makes you uncomfortable, tell a safe adult right away.”
• Ages 11–13+: Consent, internet safety, peer pressure, grooming.
• Teens: Detailed conversations about boundaries, respect, healthy relationships, coercion.

It’s not about scaring kids — it’s about protecting them.