Detailed steps

Li Min, the mother of a 4-year-old girl in Shanghai, said: "When we look back on our childhood and teenage years, many of us experienced uncomfortable bodily contact from others to a different extent, but most of us were confused about such situations and didn't understand what had happened until years later."

Sun said, "Education equips children with the ability to spot unusual contact and tells them about detailed steps to protect themselves as best they can in case such incidents happen to them."

The program has staged lessons on protection against sexual assault for children of both genders in 30 provinces and regions since its establishment in 2013, and last year it updated a systematic teaching plan involving professional advice.

Sun said one of the most important precautions for children to take is to avoid or refuse a request for a one-on-one encounter with a person of the opposite sex, particularly in a confined environment.

"Some lawbreakers make such requests ... to see if the child has been alerted. If the person finds the child has been educated (about avoiding one-on-one contacts with others), he or she may halt their plan," she said.

Gu Ying, director of juvenile cases at the procuratorate in Shanghai's Huangpu district, said they had stressed to teachers that they should keep a "respectable distance" from children, especially those of the opposite sex. For example, male teachers should not invite girl students to their offices or homes alone.

She also said juveniles should be cautious when meeting people dressed improperly in public, such as those inclined to challenge rules and who have no respect for their own bodies.