Let's get to the bottom of the problem

Apparently the book Everyone's Got a Bottom is offensive, so offensive that Australia's largest chain of daycare providers ABC Learning Centres won't have it on their shelves.
After all the book does contain words such as vulva, penis, vagina and testicles.
Worse still it contains cartoon-like drawings of these "bits".
Privates are private and should not see the light of day in the day care setting, apparently. Or in an ABC spokesman's words "We respect the right of families to discuss private issues in their own way and in their own time".
That's a fine ideal that totally denies the real issue here.
Wouldn't it be nice if there was no such thing as child abuse?
Wouldn't be nice if Family Planning Queensland thought it wasn't necessary to write a book about child sexual abuse pitched at children aged three to eight?
Wouldn't it be nice if all children were given the tools they need to speak out about inappropriate sexual behaviour by their adults?
The problem is that child sexual abuse does exist and the people most likely to hurt children are not strangers but those nearest and dearest to them.
So leaving he job of talking about child sexual abuse to parents is - most unfortunately - a strategy destined to seriously let down the children most at need.
It may not be the core business of childcare centres to teach sex education to children but it's a job that needs to be done and if families can't or won't do it then those charged with the care of kids should take up the challenge.
The book is presented in a way that's non-threatening to children.
It is a story about Ben and his brother and sister learning and talking together about bodies meant to gently start a conversation with children about self protection.
It's simply putting the information out there in an age-appropriate way that gives kids the language needed to speak up should they be confronted with some inappropriate behaviour.
The book says "It might be a person that I know and like. It is still not OK for them to touch or ask to see my private parts or to show me theirs".
Everyone's got a bottom so why are some of us scared to talk about it?
The book is for sale for $15 via www.fpq.com.au