“Talking to children about sex goes a long way to prevent sexual abuse”-Mrs. Bisi Ajayi-Kayode

Mrs. Bisi Ajayi-Kayode the Assistant Director of Cece Yara Foundation, a legal practitioner, and child advocate spoke with dailyfamily.ng about the importance of parents communicating with their children so as to prevent sexual abuse.

Cece Yara foundation was founded by Mrs. Bola Tinubu to help protect children from child sexual abuse and to generate awareness on how to prevent it.

She said: “Child sexual abuse usually occurs on one to one basis either when the child is alone with the perpetrator or alone in the chat room. Parents have to know the signs which can be physical, emotional or behavioural and there is the need to react positively to prevent child sexual abuse.

Talking to children about sex goes a long way to prevent sexual abuse. Children need to be empowered to say No to unwanted touches and parents need to establish safe boundaries.

Talking to children about sex needs to be done using age-appropriate language. This will encourage them to ask questions when they are concerned.

Also, children need to be taught about their private parts (including the mouth) that no one has the right to touch those parts and not to keep secrets from their parents and trusted caregivers.

Talking to children about sex should not be lumped up in one big talk as it could be overwhelming to the child rather it should be a routine conversation using everyday issues.


Parents should be actively involved in their children’s lives, in their daily activities, know the other trusted adults in their lives, know their digital identity that is who they are on social media, digital footprints- what they have been exposed to on social media and above all parents should know about digital empathy when children stumble on what upsets them on the internet and how to merge their online and offline values.

Parents should be realistic and educate themselves before talking to children about sex. The conventional ways of talking to children about sex will not resolve the present day challenges that sexuality has posed to the children.

Do not force the affection of other people on your children as they may accept it as normal when they are touched in a way that makes them uncomfortable.

The Cece Yara Foundation offers novel services to children in fighting child sexual abuse. Foremost is the CECE Yara Child helpline 08008008001. It is a toll-free number that is available 24/7.

Cases of child sexual abuse can be reported on this line. Also is the provision of a forensic interview. A forensic interview is the best way to gather information about the allegation of child sexual abuse. It is a single objective, non-leading, legally defensible and age-appropriate information gathering process which reduces the number of times the child will have to re-live the trauma of child sexual abuse.

The interview is conducted by someone trained in the technique of forensic interview and observed by representatives of the Multi-disciplinary team of Cece Yara foundation who are Child Protection agents.

The interview is recorded and used in the investigation and prosecution of the case without breaching the child’s confidentiality.”
https://dailyfamily.ng/talking-to-children-about-sex-goes-a-long-way-to-prevent-sexual-abuse-mrs-bisi-ajayi-kayode/

But how do you talk to them about sex??
Sex education is hard, believe me.
The smallest mistake can cause the greatest harm.

I still think one of the easiest way to communicating with these kids are maybe sometimes parents should educate them about some unwanted touch I quess,unwanted touch that's were it begins.