The Girls’ Protection Project of the China Social Assistance Foundation recently published their 2013-2014 Report on Children’s Safety Education and Sexual Assault. The report analyses sexual assault cases reported by the media. It found that the majority of the cases occurred in rural areas; that the victims were between 8 and 14 years old; and that the perpetrator was someone they knew. However, as many sexual assaults go unreported and are not covered by the media, the Foundation cautions that the report only describes the tip of the iceberg.
The Foundation also found that children receive very little sex education from both their schools and parents, which puts them at risk as they have little conception of how to protect themselves. In response, together with psychologists, sociologists, and legal experts, the Foundation put together a 45 minute lesson on preventing sexual assault for elementary school students. It will be tested in 8 provinces and cities, including Yunnan, Beijing, and Guangdong.
