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Teaching Your Child Body Autonomy

(Punjabi version / ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ)

Body autonomy is the right to decide what happens or doesn’t happen to your body. Teaching your children from a young age to develop a sense of body autonomy is a proven way to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA), and also encourages children to disclose abuse should it happen to them. ⁠The images below share a few tips on how to talk to your children about body autonomy.

How to Teach Your Child Body Autonomy

  1. Teach them proper body part names.
  2. Teach them about safe touch.
  3. Teach them that they can say no.
  4. Teach them that abuse is never their fault.
  5. Teach them to never keep secrets from you.
  6. Help them think of five adults they can trust.
  7. Talk to your child early and often.

Find more resources and information at sikhfamilycenter.org/csa/ including videos by parents and youth on body autonomy.⁠

Sources:⁠