HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (HUFLIT)

+++++

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Topic: EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PROTECT VIETNAMESE

CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL ABUSE

Student: NGUYỄN TRẦN BẢO HÂN

Student code: 18DH711360

Supervisor: M.A NGUYỄN THỊ BẠCH YẾN

 Abstract

This research paper investigated the effective ways to protect Vietnamese children

who are the victims of child sexual abuse. Many researchers have reported that child

sexual abuse is an extremely serious social evil which affects children’s mental health,

ability of integrating into family and society, ability of studying, as well as

reproductive health. Based on the conclusion of various research papers, it is figured

out the rate of victims who are sexual abused is increasing, especially in children.

That’s why, this paper is made to inform parenthoods about an importance of sex

education for children early and enhancing responsibility for taking precautions and

protecting them from being sexual abused. Moreover, this paper also suggests some

effective ways to prevent this social evil, protecting Vietnamese children from sexual

abuse and let them live in a beautiful life without any pains and fears.

Key words: child sexual abuse, social evil, protect, effective ways

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I. INTRODUCTION

The issue of child sexual abuse is a social hot potato in Vietnam on recent years.

Nowadays, a number of Vietnamese children who are the victims of sexual abuse is

increasing highly. According to a survey, the average number of child sexual abuse is

7 children each day and a total of staggering 73,85% of Vietnamese children who are

sexual abused today. This statistic seems to be an alarm to wake up people and raising

their awareness about the serious consequences that this social evil causes. It can be

said that children are too young to be suffered this pain of body and mind. That’s why

this is one of the most serious social evils and needed to be prevented immediately.

There are a large number of ways to prevent child sexual abuse and people should be

aware of 3 effective ways to protect Vietnamese children from this social evil: telling

children the sensitive and private parts on their bodies early and body boundaries,

encouraging children in sharing the bad body secrets, teaching children how to get

away from dangerous situations.

II. MAIN CONTENT

2.1. Teaching sensitive and private parts on children’s bodies

The first effective way to protect children from child sexual abuse is teaching them the

sensitive and private parts on their bodies early and building body boundaries.

Nowadays, there are a lot of advice from many experts about this action. They

encourage parents to spend more time talking and teaching children to raise their

awareness clearly and correctly of which parts on their bodies are private and

sensitive. There are also a lot of parents who feel uncomfortable to share with their

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children about this problem. Therefore, it may lead to a serious consequence which

make parents regret. Parents should feel comfortable when explaining the body private

parts to children. Beside that, parents should use many simple words to make children

understand easily. Explaining clearly and seriously about the private parts to children

will be also a way to protect children from being sexual abused. From The

Denverchannel website, (Brittany, 2017), it was stated that parenthoods should talk

with their children early about the body private parts which are not allowed to touch

and see by someone else in their lives. Moreover, parents must teach children how to

build body boundaries. For example: Keeping distance with strangers can be also a

great way to be safe and to proctect children from sexual abuse. Kavita Varma –

White (2019) from Today website cites Katelyn Brewer, CEO of the CSA prevention

organization, who said “We have grown up with ‘stranger danger’ being forced down

our throats” . Parents should always follow children and remind them that no one has

any rights to touch their body private parts. Teaching children how to say no if

someone has intention of touching the private parts on children’s bodies is also a

necessary for parenthoods. The website of Rainn reported that “It is important to let

your child know that their body is their own”. Because there are many sex offenders

who take advantage of children’s naivety and ask them to touch their bodies. If

parents don’t teach children to build body boundaries, they will not realize that they

were being abused when someone touches their body private parts. As a result, it will

be very dangerous and easy to lead to child sexual abuse. To avoid this problem,

parents should try a lot to let children know about their body private parts when they

are still young, knowing how to build the body boundaries and knowing the signs of

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sexual abuse early. Thus, these ways will protect Vietnamese children from sexual

abuse and make this problem reduce strongly.

2.2. Encouraging children to share their secrets

The second way is encouraging children in sharing the bad body secrets. All of the sex

offenders who know how to obligate children not to tell anybody, especially their

parents, when they are abused. The offenders also know that almost children look very

naive but they are also very good at keeping secret. “No one ever keeps a secret so

well as a child” quoted by Victor Hugo. Moreover, children are too young to

distinguish what are the good secrets and what not. Therefore, it is very dangerous

when children have an intention of concealing their bad secrets without sharing

parents. Parents should encourage children in sharing the secrets related to their

bodies or sensitive problems. Parenthoods have to make children feel comfortable

when they tell their bad secrets which are very hard to speak out. From Pandora’s

Project website “Any secret that makes them feel bad or sad or frightened is a bad

secret and its okay to break it” (Katy, 2009). The same website also reported that the

secret which makes children feel bad inside and want to hide is a bad secret, so they

can break it. Besides, parents should not force children to speak their secrets out

because it will make childrens have more depresses and scares. Letting children feel

free and relaxed to speak out is better than forcing them. Children will need some

encouraging words from a good listener more than a scoldings when they hide their

bad body secrets. Thus, parents have to be subtle on thoughts, feeling and words to

avoid causing an uncomfortable feeling for children. When children are still young,

parents should tell them that if someone touches their bodies and obligates them to

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keep silent and see it as a secret, they must feel strong and brave at that time to tell

their parents immediately because that is a bad body secret and they have a right to

break this secret. Telling children that parents will be always beside them and protect

them when ever they have trouble. Natasha Daniels, from Child Mind Institute

website, restated that parents have to tell children that it is okay when they tell

everything about body safety and body secret, they will not get in trouble when they

do this. It will create a strong mental spirit for children from early and they can face

and speak their bad secrets out bravely. “Tell your kids that no matter what anyone

tells them, body secrets are not okay and they should always tell you if someone tries

to make them keep a body secret” (Natasha Daniels, from Child Mind Institute

website).

2.3. Teaching children the ways to stay away from dangerous situations

The last effective way is teaching children how to get away from the dangerous

situations. After teaching children to build their body boundaries, parents should not

forget teaching children the signs of sexual abuse. This is an necessary step to show

children how sexual abuse is. Parents can use information in article, TV, on the

Internet to give example for children to make them understand clearly. Moreover,

parents must remind children of always taking precautions of protecting their bodies.

This is the most important step to help themselves escape a danger of being sexual

abused. Children always have feeling of scare when they want to run away from

dangerous situations or people who make children feel unsafe. If children feel that

there is anything wrong, parents should make a list of words for children to hep them

to get out the uncomfortable situations. For example, Would you excuse me?, I need

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to go to bathroom, I remember that my parents are waiting me overthere. These words

will help children protect themselves from a dangerous situation. As soon as success

in escaping a serious situation, parents have to make careful children about running as

fast as possible or finding somebody else for help. However, in the article “7 ways

parents can protect kids from child sexual abuse”, Kavita Varma – White (2019) cites

Katelyn Brewer’s word “It’s important to minimize opportunity of incidents of child

sex abuse by avoiding isolated situations with adults”. Thus, beside of teaching

children how to get away from a dangerous situation, parents should always be with

children whose age are under 10 more than leaving them alone, especially in the

public places with strangers. Parents must try hard to protect children from this social

evil and giving them a beautiful and happy life.

III. CONCLUSION

In summary, child sexual abuse is a very serious social evil which must be prevented

absolutely to avoid causing many unforeseen consequences for Vietnamese children.

Moreover, people in general and parenthoods in specific should follow the effective

ways in this paper research to protect children from being sexual abused. As Anne

Auld, a Director of Programs for Illuminate, a statewide organization that aimed at

keeping kids safe, stated that “What I really want parents to hear is that it is their

responsibility as adults to prevent child sexual abuse. It is not a child's responsibility

to prevent that”. An another famous author named Dave Pelzer has stated that

“Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the

darkness of the soul”. It is very unmoral when children have to suffer the pains of

body and mind of being sexual abused. Therefore, this social evil is something people

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have to be concerned about and take responsibility seriously for protecting children

from sexual abuse. People should make all effords to prevent this problem and bring

Vietnamese children a beautiful childhood, a happy life and a bright future.

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 REFERENCES
Freeman, B. (2017). Expert advice on what parents can do to prevent child sexual
abuse. Retrieved from THEDENVERCHANNEL.COM:
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/expert-advice-on-what-parents-can-
do-to-prevent-child-sexual-abuse?
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1fIlRMIyo
Katy. (2009). Some Tips On How To Protect Your Child From Sexual Abuse.
Retrieved from Pandora'sProject:
https://pandys.org/forums/index.php?/topic/113978-how-to-help-protect-your-
child-from-sexual-abuse/
Natasha, D. (n.d.). 10 Ways To Teach Your Child the Skills to Prevent Sexual Abuse.
Retrieved from Child Mind Institute : https://childmind.org/article/10-ways-to-
teach-your-child-the-skills-to-prevent-sexual-abuse/
Pelzer, D. J. (1995). A Child Called "It" . Florida: Health Communications.
Varma-White, K. (2019). 7 ways parents can protect kids from child sexual abuse.
Retrieved from Today: https://www.today.com/today/amp/tdna150029