Answer
In this counseling answer:
•Inform his parents of what you saw and advise them to monitor what he watches, who he spends time with, and where he may have been exposed to sex.
•If he came over to visit you and your granddaughter, you should also continue to monitor him.
•If such behavior persists after his parents’ efforts to prevent him from sexual exposure, then I would advise that he be referred to a child counselor for further investigation.
As-Salamu `Alaikum Sister,
Thank you for sending us your question.
You are right to say that children are curious when it comes to their body parts and exploring things that are new to them.
It seems like your nephew may have been exposed to seeing some kind of sexual behavior (either through television or other forms of media) and maybe trying to act upon what he saw.
Nowadays, children of all ages are exposed to sexual images that can be quite disturbing.
Parents and adults should monitor what their children see on television and the internet, and keep up with what they are exposed to.
To specifically answer your question about whether your nephew was sexually abused, I do not have enough information to confirm that.
Sexually abused children can act sexually with other children, but children who are exposed to sex could also act upon what they were exposed to out of curiosity.
It is true that your nephew acted in a manner that went too far, which raises a red flag that he needs extra attention.
My suggestion to you would be to inform his parents of what you saw and advise them to monitor what he watches, who he spends time with, and where he may have been exposed to sex.
If he came over to visit you and your granddaughter, you should also continue to monitor him. If such behavior persists after his parents’ efforts to prevent him from sexual exposure, then I would advise that he be referred to a child counselor for further investigation.
I hope this helps.
Salam
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