A child’s ability to utilise her intuition is a crucial factor in protecting her from sexual abuse. Intuition helps a child to make independent decisions and to steer away from potential danger. Intuition can help a child become confident and wise, knowing that the tools needed to conquer the unknown and unknowable are always at hand. Parents often dismiss or override a child's natural attempts to use intuition, but with support and guidance, intuition can be sharpened by our use of it.

I have witnessed time and time again, parents chastising their young children for shying away from the approaches of an unfamiliar person and then apologising to the stranger for the child’s rudeness or making some excuse to explain the “silly” behaviour. No sooner have we lectured them about the importance of being polite to Mr Bloggs, the store owner (and stranger), we then instruct them “Don’t talk to strangers!” This contradiction is highly confusing and suppresses the natural instincts of stranger awareness. By telling children it is socially desirable to interact in a polite manner with strangers despite their natural feelings of anxiousness, we rob them of a vital safety tool.

Taught to dismiss her instincts, the child quickly learns by example and her own experiences that being polite brings praise and rewards whereas being “rude” or shying away results in disapproval. Discounting her own powerful inner feelings and adopting the “Don’t be rude” messages, she learns to ignore her danger detectors. Consequently, a vital element in the ability to make correct judgements of people and to think for herself is lost.

The cultural drive to compel children to always be polite and sociable towards adults is a colossal concern when considering the threat from paedophiles. Children naturally want to do what is right and to fit in with the culture of which they are a part, therefore, well-mannered and respectful interactions with others does not need to be forced upon them as they will learn by your example and apply it accordingly.