Here's what most body safety education gets wrong:
It assumes abuse looks like violence. It almost never does.
It assumes the abuser is a stranger. 93% of the time, it's someone the child knows and trusts.
It assumes the child will feel pain. Unsafe touch often feels confusing, ticklish, or even pleasant. That's the entire reason children freeze.
It assumes the child will tell someone.
Nearly 3 in 4 don't tell anyone for at least a year. Some never tell at all.
But here's what the research actually shows children need:
Rule 1: My Body Belongs to Me — complete ownership, not just "private parts."
Rule 2: The Real Names Rule — because a child who says "he touched my cookie" doesn't get taken seriously.
Rule 3: The Private Parts Rule — clear, specific, no grey areas.
Rule 4: The No Means No Rule — they can refuse any touch, from anyone, even people they love.
Rule 5: The Tricky Touch Rule — unsafe touch doesn't always feel bad. Confusion is the signal, not pain.
Rule 6: The No Bad Secrets Rule — body secrets are always a trick. No exceptions.
Rule 7: The Safety Circle Rule — 5 specific adults they can tell anything to. If the first doesn't help, tell the next.
Rules 5, 6 and 7 are the ones that matter most.
They're also the ones almost no parent teaches.