Your body is your body, period. No one should ever touch you without your permission–and yes, that includes hugs! If the actions of this person, made you feel uncomfortable, talk to your parents. If you are unable to talk with your parents for one reason or another, then speak to a counselor, teacher, health care provider (HCP), or other trusted adult right away. Begin by explaining what happened and how it made you feel. If the individual touched you with or without permission and/or you feel that you were touched inappropriately, then it could be considered sexual assault, which is a serious crime. Remember, these situations are tough and unfortunate, but it’s not your fault! Kudos to you for standing up and questioning the situation.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.