EDUCATING KIDS ABOUT THE TOUCHES

CONCEPT AND IMPORTANCE

Sweta Tiwari

Touch is bringing body parts in contact to experience through perceptible senses. We touch ourselves and we touch others too. Generally, we touch others in order to appreciate or understand or for other genuine purposes (for example doctors touching patients for clinical purposes, helping disables to cross the roads etc.). Based on intention, purpose and consequence touches are classified into two categories: 1. GOOD TOUCH OR SAFE TOUCH AND 2. BAD TOUCH OR UNSAFE TOUCH. Good touch and bad touch is commonly used concept to teach children what type of touch is okay and what type of touch is not okay in order to protect them from falling victim of child sexual abuse.

Generally a pedophile use unsafe or bad touch to initiate abusing children sexually. If the children are aware about the touches and knows how to react than they can protect themselves in the most of the cases.

1. GOOD TOUCH OR SAFE TOUCH

Good touches are touches that make children feel cared, protected and appreciated. Good touches play vital role in effective upbringing of any kid. Good touches may include: hugs, pats on back, an arm around the shoulder, parental kisses etc. Sometime good touches may hurt but still they are necessary to keep children healthy (example medical processes, removing foreign particles etc.).

2. BAD TOUCH OR UNSAFE TOUCH

Bad touches are the touches which are intended to hurt kids. Bad touches make children feel uncomfortable, insecure and unpleasant. Bad touches may include hitting, pushing, pinching, kicking and touching the private parts. Bad touches sometime may bring fatal consequences which may last throughout the life and effect upbringing and health of the kid negatively.

IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT GOOD TOUCH AND BAD TOUCH

• Generally a pedophile use unsafe or bad touch to initiate abusing children sexually. If the children are aware about the touches and knows how to react than they can protect themselves as the incidence takes place when a pedophile and a child are alone.
• Most of the time victims are minor( 4-7 years old) and cannot differentiate between what is wrong and what is right and remains in chaos about the incident. The concept of good touch and bad touch is easy to understand and implement for the minors.
• Good touch and bad touch teaches children how to react to the bad touches , get to the safe place and to report the concerned.
• It effectively minimizes the incidents of child sexual abuse.

Everyone wants to to see their kids safe and protected making best of their childhood. We want to protect them against all odds. Our children come in contact with many people every day and there are good and bad people around them.

So, it becomes our responsibility to teach them, train them so that they are ready to face and handle any odd situation or person coming their way.