Children’s Labelling of Intimate Body Parts and Contact: An Exploratory Study

Successful prosecution of child sexual abuse cases often hinges on anatomically detailed descriptions of the alleged sexual contact. However, child victims frequently struggle to name and describe the involved body parts and contact. This cross-sectional exploratory study aimed to understand how children describe sexual body parts and the factors related to their knowledge.

Utilizing a newly developed semi-structured questionnaire administered in Mandarin, written and verbal reports were collected from a cohort of Taiwanese parents (n = 378) and children (n = 381; 48% female), yielding a total of N = 409 family dyads. This study investigated: (1) children’s labeling and description of genitalia and intimate bodily contact; (2) parental instruction alongside parent-child bodily contact; and (3) the variations in these factors across different age groups and genders.

Quantitative analyses showed that most children could identify and describe at least one sexual body part, with greater familiarity with their own gender. Surprisingly, older children did not demonstrate superior knowledge of body parts or functions. Intimate bodily contact with parents (i.e., hugs and kisses) was positively related to children’s knowledge of sexual body parts.

Most children could label sexual body parts and understood some functions, though knowledge was stronger for their own gender. Parents, especially mothers, were primary educators, yet knowledge gaps between parents and children were common. Limited awareness of self-protection underscores the need for clearer parent–child communication and structured school-based body-safety education.

This study, one of the first in East Asia to examine children’s descriptions of sexual body parts and bodily contact, highlights the importance of consistent, clear communication between parents and children about these topics.