What is your definition of "innocence" when referring to children?

Female, 22, England.

Children are untainted. They have not experienced the world and allowed it to corrupt them as all adults have to some extent. They have a clean slate, they have not wronged. They have not acquired the experience and maturity it takes to understand the sinister sides to this world and the people in it, which is why the abuse of a child's innocence is (in my opinion) the most evil crime that exists. They are as defenseless, not only physically but emotionally and mentally, as it is possible to be.

Female, aged 21, live in the UK.

I define innocence as being that children don't automatically join everyday acts with sexual references and innuendos in the way that adults and comedians do, there's no nudge-nudge-wink-wink humour.

Children are largely unaware of the uglier sides of life, such as rape, murder, molestation, war, and have a childish outlook on mortality.

They believe their best friend today will be their best friend forever.

They laugh loudly at slapstick comedy and at parents doing foolish things.

They are snug and protected in their little child-cocoons and in my opinion, the longer the better. Kids grow up too fast these days.

Female, 32, USA

Being naive to the filth and garbage of the world, seeing the beauties of it solely for the first time.

As they get older (late tweens to early teens), "innocence of children" would be not yet having to face the troubles personally (not having sex, experimented w/drugs and alcohol, not having to make hard decisions, etc).

female 32 UK

I think that only children under 7 are truly innocent, while not all children are innocent of life's nastier aspects, they are innocent in that they are not the perpetrators.

They also say what they think and act purely from their hearts, they not capable of the complex lying and manipulating that adults can do.