Educating children about the importance of personal boundaries—and empowering them to speak out when they feel violated—is essential to healthy youth development. Yet, the topic of boundaries is one that many adults shy away from. Addressing child sexual abuse may be uncomfortable, but the truth is, it’s a too-common crime that we must constantly protect against. Statistics reveal one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18; and about 90 percent of sexual offenders are someone the child knows, including family members and acquaintances. The more we educate ourselves and youth about the red flags associated with child sexual abuse, the better prepared we are to prevent it. One easy but important way we can do this is by helping youth understand their personal boundaries.

CLICK HERE for some helpful tips to help start this important conversation with kids and parents