After children have been taught their Body Safety Rules, ask them these ‘What If?’ questions to reinforce the safety messages learnt.
What if?
What if someone asks to see your private parts?
You know: Your body belongs to you and your private parts are just for you.
Say: No! My private parts are just for me.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
What if?
What if a person tells you to keep a secret that makes you feel uncomfortable and unsafe?
You know: Secrets that make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe should NEVER be kept.
Say: I don’t keep secrets. I only keep happy surprises because they will be told.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
What if?
What if you feel any of your *Early Warning Signs in any situation?
You know: That this is your body letting you know something is not right.
Say: No! I don’t want to do that!
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
What if?
What if someone shows you pictures on a phone, ipad or computer of adults, teenagers or children showing and/or touching their private parts.
You know: No-one should show you pictures of private parts. This is very wrong.
Say: No! Don’t show me those pictures! Kids should never see these kinds of pictures.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
What if?
What if someone tells you to play a ‘fun game’ where you both pull down your pants and show each other your private parts?
You know: Your body belongs to you and your private parts are just for you.
Say: No! My private parts are just for me.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
What if?
What if someone tells you (or sends you a message on a phone or computer) asking you to send pictures of your private parts?
You know: This is very wrong.
Say: No! This is wrong. Kids don’t do this.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your *Safety Network.
What if?
What if an adult, an older teenager or other kids start to make jokes about private parts?
You know: No-one should ever make jokes about private parts especially with kids.
Say: Stop! You should never joke about private parts with kids.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway. If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
What if?
What if children are playing around in the toilets (or playground) at school and trying to see other people’s private parts?
You know: Everyone’s body belongs to them and kids should not be trying to look at each other’s private parts.
Say: Stop! This is wrong. You are not allowed to look at other kids’ private parts.
Action: Tell one of the adults on your *Safety Network straightaway (usually your teacher or the teacher on duty). If they don’t believe you, tell another adult on your Safety Network.
*Safety Network: 3 to 5 adults that a child can trust and can tell anything to and know those adults will believe them.
*Early Warning Signs: when our body lets us know that we are scared or uncomfortable, i.e. we may have sweaty palms, sick tummy, shaky legs, heart racing, etc. Go to: www.e2epublishing.info/posters/ to download this free ‘Early Warning Signs’ poster to share with children.
written by Jayneen Sanders
Copyright UpLoad Publishing
Jayneen Sanders (aka Jay Dale) is a teacher, author, mother of three daughters and an active advocate for sexual abuse prevention education and respectful relationships to be taught both in the home and in schools.
For more information on this topic and Jay’s children's books 'Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept', 'Pearl Fairweather Pirate Captain', ‘No Means No!’, ‘My Body! What I say Goes!’, ‘No Difference Between Us’, and her parents’ guide ‘Body Safety Education — A parents’ guide to protecting kids from sexual abuse’ go to www.e2epublishing.info
All books are also available on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2cC7QNb
