As two recent instances of child-on-child sexual assault hit the headlines, a look at the challenges of parenting in an age saturated with sexual imagery
The question doing the rounds this week was: ‘What are children getting up to these days?’ It wasn’t asked with mild exasperation, but grim worry. In parks and on social media groups, parents discussed the two recent reports of elementary school children in NCR being sexually violated by children their age or slightly older than them. “We not only have to guard against the threat of sexual abuse from adults, but other children too?” was one concern.
The children accused in both cases of alleged sexual assault are under 10. One is 4. The children who have been assaulted are 4 and 7. Only a specialized assessment can tell if the incidents were a result of sexual curiosity; or imitation, where the children acted out what they had witnessed or experienced; or an expression of emotional trauma, playing tag with injury or hurt.
