I want you to imagine a little boy, whose parents in keeping him “innocent,” do not teach him the word penis as the representative word for his penis, but instead, his parents teach him the words “private parts” as representing his penis.
Now, I want you to answer a question for me: Will this little boy have the words to describe what happened to him with a sexual predator?
Before answering this question, know this, sexual predators are intentional in using confusing words with children, often the same words parents use, to describe basic anatomy, “this is our secret,” “these are private parts,” “these are words you do not have to know until you are much older.”
Predators use these confusing words for a reason: Guess when children are most likely to report being sexually abused? Right after being abused or years afterward? If you guessed years afterward, you are correct.
Why?
Because only until children have unequivocal words to describe something, can they understand what that something is. And only until children understand something, can they have some sense of control over that something and be able to say it out loud.
Withholding clear anatomical words from children does not make children innocent.
It makes children ignorant.
It makes children powerless.
It makes children sexually illiterate.
Reference
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Dr. Don Lucas, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology and head of the Psychology Department at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio Texas. He loves psychology, teaching, and research.
If you like this story, then check out Don’s videos on his YouTube channel, 5MIweekly: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQFQ0vPPNPS-LYhlbKOzpFw/, like him on Facebook: http://fb.me/5MIWeekly, and check out his website: http://5Miweekly.com
sexual child abuse, child abuse, neglect, child abuse prevention, euphemisms
