Talking to your child about keeping their bodies safe may seem intimidating or embarrassing. But as a parent, we couldn't imagine anything bad happening to our children, and we want to do our best to protect them from any potential harm. 

The following are 3 Pieces of Advice for parents to teach their children body safety:

1. Teach them proper names of their body parts

Parents and caregivers should begin to teach children body safety as soon as they begin to talk. During this time, you can teach them the name of each body part properly including the genitals: penis, vulva, buttocks, breasts, nipples...etc. Avoid the use of 'pet name' to describe the genitals. This way, if a child is touched inappropriately, they can clearly voice out where they were touched.. You can also talk to them about privacy. Children should be taught that mouth is also known as a 'private zone', and no one has the right to ask them to take a picture of their private body parts, to touch their private body parts, or to ask them to touch theirs either.

2. Teach your children "NO, GO, TELL"

This is an easy way for children to remember what to do when they feel unsafe.

•           No – Say NO or STOP loudly so the person can hear him/her.
•           Go – Run away from the person and find a nearby safe adult such  as a mother with children. Statistics               show that this person will be the most likely to help, not hurt your child.
•           Tell – Tell parents and caregivers what happened so they can help keep  him/her safe.

3. Create a family phone book

Designate a page for each child that includes home, relatives and cell phone numbers of friends' families. In case your child is missing, you'll know who to call, not only to check to see whether your child is there, but also to start spreading the word in the event the worst has happened.