All children should know their personal boundaries and know that they have a right to be safe in their own bodies. Encourage children to speak up and say “no” when they feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. They should know to get away from an unsafe situation as quickly as possible, and to tell a safe adult what happened. When a child says they don’t want to show affection, an adult should prioritize that child’s boundary. For more information, read the VIRTUS® article “How to Advocate Directly with Youth for their Safety and Wellbeing” at lacatholics.org/did-you-know.
Read the VIRTUS® article “How to Advocate Directly with Youth for their Safety and Wellbeing” here.