| One of the most perverse problems in an | | | | to touch in general. It may be helpful |
| autistic individual's life is the threat | | | | to label zones on the body where no one |
| of sexual abuse. This can come in the | | | | should touch without permission. |
| form of rape or simply be in an abusive | | | | Also make sure that as your autistic |
| relationship. Because autistic people | | | | child grows into an adult, he or she |
| spend much of their lives feeling | | | | understands what rape is and what to do |
| different and left out, they often enjoy | | | | if this happens. As many autistic |
| sexual experiences for one reason: it | | | | children are hands-on learners, it may |
| puts them on a playing field equal to | | | | be best to role-play some potentially |
| others. It is very easy for this to | | | | dangerous situations. If your child |
| become a controlling part of a | | | | communicates non-verbally, teach him or |
| relationship. | | | | her clear signs to show a person to stop |
| The most important thing to remember is | | | | what they are doing. |
| that autistic people experience | | | | Autistic people can often not understand |
| sexuality in much of the same way that | | | | that others have their own thoughts and |
| others do, no matter how highly | | | | emotions they believe that everyone |
| functioning they may be. Parents should | | | | thinks and feels what they do. Because |
| teach their child about sexuality from | | | | of this, many are shocked to find that |
| an early age in order to prevent sexual | | | | bad people in the world will take |
| abuse from happening. | | | | advantage of sexual situations. You may |
| The most valuable command that anyone | | | | need to explain to an autistic |
| can learn in relationship to sexuality | | | | individual what kinds of dress and |
| is No.Teaching this to even children can | | | | conduct are appropriate in public so |
| be very useful. In this respect, treat | | | | that he or she is not unknowingly |
| your autistic child as no different than | | | | attracting sexual attention. |
| you would another child teach him or her | | | | You child should learn to respect his or |
| the parts of the body from a young age | | | | her body and understand that others need |
| and be very clear, as the child matures, | | | | to respect it as well. This is only |
| about what happens during puberty and | | | | possible if parents and educators teach |
| what kinds of behaviors are appropriate | | | | autistic children about their bodies |
| and inappropriate. | | | | from a young age. By learning how to |
| Be sure that your child understands the | | | | stop sexual abuse, you can keep you |
| differences between good touches and bad | | | | children, autistic or not, safe from |
| touches. This can be extremely difficult | | | | predators. |
| for autistic children who are sensitive | | | | |