Prevention focuses on "body safety" education, teaching children that they have autonomy over their bodies and that "private parts" are off-limits to others. For adults, it involves recognizing the signs of grooming—a process where an offender builds an emotional connection with a child to lower their inhibitions [6].
In the U.S., you can call or text the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) .
The trauma resulting from such an act is profound. Unlike adult interactions, a child’s brain and body are still developing, making the psychological and physical fallout particularly devastating [6].