Teach a child which body parts are private; if someone touches them or asks them to keep a secret, they must tell you at home; when they tell, believe them first, do not scold, and take them to report and seek care

Children who took anti-sexual-abuse classes clearly did more self-protection moves in drills with a pretend stranger. What they learned was still there half a year later, and they did not become more fearful. Whether real abuse falls has not been measured. Among people who sexually abuse children, acquaintances make up a high share, so teach which places others must not touch, and that if touched or told to keep a secret, they come home and say so.

Cost

No money. A few words while bathing or changing clothes, then ask again now and then. The hard parts are parents being shy to name body parts, and when the child really speaks, holding back anger and not scolding them.

Benefit

Cochrane in 2015 pooled 24 trials of school anti-sexual-abuse classes, 5802 students aged 5 to 18. Most classes taught a few things: safety rules, the body belongs to you, which parts are private. They also taught which touches are not OK, which secrets must not be kept, and whom to tell. Many classes stressed that if something happens it is not the child’s fault. First, whether children protect themselves. Researchers had people pretend to be strangers and lure children — 2 trials, 102 people. Those who took the class did protective moves with OR 5.71 (95% CI 1.98–16.51, credible range), about 5.7 times those who did not. Converted from the original: about 390 of 1000 without the class managed it, about 795 with the class. Next, knowledge. 18 trials, 4657 people, questionnaire scores SMD 0.61 (0.45–0.78); 0.5 is medium. At half a year still 0.69 (0.51–0.87). 3 studies, 795 people, looked at harm: children’s anxiety and fear did not rise or fall (SMD −0.08, −0.22 to 0.07). 3 studies, 1788 people, looked at whether children disclose. Disclosing that they had been sexually abused OR 3.56 (1.13–11.24), from about 4 per 1000 to about 14. But children in the same class and school are alike; after correcting for that, the difference was no longer clear (OR 3.04, 0.75–12.33). Evidence quality for all outcomes was moderate. Authors state that whether these classes truly reduce sexual abuse needs long follow-up. UNESCO and five other UN agencies issued sexuality-education guidelines in 2018. They recommend teaching names of body parts, including genitals, from ages 5 to 8. They also teach which body parts are private. If someone touches them and they feel uncomfortable, say “no,” leave, then tell a trusted adult. The guidelines state sexual abuse is never the victim child’s fault — including when done by acquaintances, trusted people, or family. People’s Daily’s anti-sexual-abuse handbook gives a memorable line: places covered by a vest and shorts, others must not look at or touch. Article 16 of the Law on the Protection of Minors (未成年人保护法) requires parents to give children safety education and raise self-protection awareness and ability. Article 40 requires schools and kindergartens to run age-appropriate sexuality education. If schools or kindergartens find sexual assault or harassment, they must not conceal it and must report promptly to public security and education. In 2020 the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and eight other departments built a mandatory-reporting system. People who must report include staff at schools, kindergartens, hospitals, childcare, residents’ and villagers’ committees, hotels, and similar. If in their work they find a child has been or is suspected to have been harmed, they must report to public security at once. Situations to report include: suspected abnormal injury to genitals or private parts; a girl under 14 suspected of sexual assault, pregnancy, or abortion. The reporter’s identity is kept confidential. If reporting leads to a dispute, the reporter bears no legal liability. In 2025 procuratorates prosecuted 42873 people for rape, child molestation, and other sexual crimes against minors, 5.5% fewer than the prior year. That was 58.9% of prosecuted crimes against minors. Of cases prosecuted that year against minors, 3852 had leads from mandatory reporting, 7.1%. A 2025 opinion from the Supreme People’s Court and 15 other departments says acquaintance offenders make up a high share in such cases. Some young children lack awareness, and guardians pay little attention, so a child may be sexually abused without knowing it (nationwide / multi-country)

Notes

Grade B because the numbers all come from school classes and measure knowledge and moves in drills, not how much real abuse fell. Parent teaching at home has no separate trial. Benefit is set small because there are only these substitute measures, not a figure for how many percent real abuse fell. Teach as above: use the real names of body parts, and say which are private. Also say that anyone who tells them to keep a secret and not tell mom or dad must be told about at home, and they will not be scolded for saying it. When the child speaks, treat it as true first — do not grill them on whether they made it up, and do not scold. The law requires teachers and doctors to report on “suspected”; parents need not wait until sure. Tell them it is not their fault, then dial 110. Before a forensic exam, do not bathe them or change their clothes — see Section 13, item 42 (after sexual assault). Who the other person is does not matter; relatives and teachers are still reported. Legal consequences when the other person is under 14 are in Section 9, item 18 (other person under 14). If a friend’s child tells you, tell their parents and report together. For a stranger’s child, dial 110 and leave it to police — do not go settle it yourself. The law states anyone may report to public security. The beneficiary is the child.

Sources · 7

1. Walsh K, Zwi K, Woolfenden S, Shlonsky A. (2015). School-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4), CD004380. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004380.pub3
2. UNESCO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WHO (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education: an evidence-informed approach (revised edition). unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/ITGSE.pdf
3. 贵州省民政厅 (2024). 未成年人防性侵手册，请家长孩子查收！（转载人民日报）. mzt.guizhou.gov.cn/xwzx/mzyw/202407/t20240723…
4. 全国人大常委会 (2024 年修正). 未成年人保护法（第十一、十六、四十条）. flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8081818f197cf00190…
5. 最高人民检察院等九部门 (2020). 关于建立侵害未成年人案件强制报告制度的意见（试行）（第二、三、四、十三、十五条）. spp.gov.cn/xwfbh/wsfbt/202005/t20200529_46348…
6. 最高人民检察院 (2026). 未成年人检察工作白皮书（2025）. spp.gov.cn/xwfbh/wsfbt/202606/t20260601_72863…
7. 贵州省民政厅 (2025). 最高法、最高检、民政部等16部门联合印发《关于依法从严惩处和防范性侵害未成年人违法犯罪的意见》（转载人民法院报）. mzt.guizhou.gov.cn/xwzx/mzyw/202508/t20250807…