Safety Tips for Kids
Most grown-ups are nice to kids and care about what happens to them. But every now and then there are grown-ups who try to touch a child in a way that is not okay. It might be a person you know and trust, like a relative, teacher, or neighbor.
There are a few things you should know that can help if this ever happens to you:
Your body belongs to you.
- No one has the right to touch you, if you don’t want them to. That includes teachers, grandparents, uncles and aunts, mom, dad -- everyone!
- There are places on your body that are private -- like places your swimming suit covers -- that an adult should not try to touch, unless it’s the doctor and your parent or guardian is in the room with you.
- Trust your feelings. If something feels funny or wrong to you, YOU CAN SAY NO. It is good to say no to an adult who tries to do something that is wrong.
- Tell someone you trust what happened, even if the person said it was a secret or that they would hurt you or someone else if you told.
- If someone does something to you that is wrong, they may tell you it is a special secret or make you promise not to tell. TELL! It is absolutely okay to break
- This kind of promise -- the person who made you promise knows that they are doing something very wrong.
- Keep telling until someone listens. Some adults do not know what to do when a young person tells them about sexual abuse. An adult may tell you not to talk about it or to forget it. They may even accuse you of making up stories. Don’t give up. Find someone to tell who will help.
- Remember, adults and older kids should:
- Never ask you to keep a secret about touching.
- Never touch you anywhere that is private, like where your bathing suit covers you.
- Never ask you to touch them anywhere private.
- Never reach under your clothes or try to get you to take off your clothes.
- Never ask you to take off their clothes.
- Never ask you to keep a secret about something wrong.
- Never try to take pictures of you without your clothes.
- Never ask you to touch yourself or other kids anywhere private.
To schedule an appointment please call: (314) 516-6798
Copyright © 1998 by the National Center for Victims of Crime. This information may be freely distributed, provided that it is distributed in its entirety and includes this copyright notice.