Interesting comments:
I've been to both coasts of Africa many times, but seldom left the confines of civilization to travel outside into the villages. I did have a lot of contact with low level African workers (grunt labor) and their management. Clearly most have very little education other than their work. But they are pretty good at learning what works well by trail and error. So if diddling kids to sleep works well - They would know it and use it.
On some of my first trips to west Africa.... early trips Africa west coast (mostly Angola) - My contact said forget everything you know about Africa because this place is nothing like East Africa you may know.
We were looking out on the bay. He pointed to the hundreds of thousands of lights that looked like an extension of the city around a bend, and set up on a hillside. Saying - My friend - those arent lights - they are candles, lanterns, and fires - In daylight you will see its nothing but mud huts. Half a million live there and there isnt a single doctor in this city or that hovel, that could deliver medicine or medical care that you could recognize. He said most residents from there are functionally illiterate with super low intellect. This was 2005...
Seeing the place in daytime - confirmed the guy was speaking the truth. Spending time there, confirmed for me Africa still holds true to its primitive nature. Nothing would surprise that takes place in the tribal cultures there.
I don't have access to many local papers here - But i have seen a few news print sections and magazine spreads hawking porn postings with cell phone links I didnt pay it much mind. But based on comments here - It seems pretty easy that anyone with minutes on a phone could get their fill. So I guess explicit knowledge seeps into the culture of the young - despite any parental good ethics practiced.
Another example of why children need good advice earlier than most would assume would be the requisite age.
After more thoughts on this, my concern level has waned a little, cause my daughter is pretty sharp for her age group, and seems to take direction well. So it should be reasonable to equip her with guidance on what is inappropriate contact. And how to manage any approaches in that area, from her peers or others.
Thanks for the commentary, The observations about Africa mesh with my own general experience there. The culture is primitive and education is a rare commodity in rural life there. That experience was pretty eye opening and repeated over and over for the many years returning there intermittently for project work.
Pat