But many parents say the younger you get through to them about what's right and wrong, the sooner they'll recognize a bad situation.

"Whenever they can answer yes and no, what the difference between yes and no," says Kathy McCurdy. 

She says the conversations with her kids started simple, and early.

"She was 2, he was 4.  That we don't talk about private parts, no one looks, no one touches, any mention of that is a shut down just immediately say, I'll tell my mom."

Other parents chimed in.

"You tell mom or dad when you're uncomfortable, and if people touch you where your bathing suit is, then that's not ok, then you need to tell somebody," another mother says.

Although the conversations become more in-depth as your child ages, experts say the message stays the same.

"At the younger level, it has to be really simple and real straight forward. And that is what are private parts, what are not private parts, what is ok touching and what is not ok touching. As kids get older we can start talking about thinking about innuendos, or verbal allegations, and verbal abuse and verbal invitations," says Dr. Josh Klapow, a clinical pscyhologist.

Another key message: have confidence to come forward, and realize you're not at fault.

Not talking could turn out much worse.

"It's not going to damage your child to have this life lesson, and this moment of teaching. It's more dangerous to put your child in a sense of denial, put yourself in a sense of denial, and have a situation come up and not have your child know how to handle it," adds Klapow.