Prevention of child sexual abuse

Abstract

Efforts to prevent child sexual abuse have taken a distinctly different path from efforts to prevent the physical abuse of children. Currently, child sexual abuse prevention is virtually synonymous with group-based instruction for children on personal safety, and it appears that most schools and many after-school programs provide some form of group-based sexual abuse prevention education. Many evaluations have assessed the impact of these efforts. Seventeen studies employing random assignment to treatment and control groups are summarized in Table 1 on page 206, and 21 additional studies using quasi-experimental designs are briefly reviewed in the article text. Most studies conclude that children do learn from the experience, although such learning is neither universal nor comprehensive. Most evaluations measure the child's knowledge but are unable to assess whether a gain in knowledge will lead to a sustained beneficial change in the child's behavior. In an effort to focus on behavior change, child safety programs increasingly utilize role playing and participant modeling. A major benefit of personal safety education programs may be an increased rate of disclosures by children of past or present abuse. A major area of concern may be the potential for safety education programs to engender fear and anxiety in children Research on negative impacts is limited, and results have been mixed. The author concludes that prevention programs overall have beneficial impacts, which are strongest for children 7 to 12 years old. Characteristics of promising programs are summarized. The article concludes with suggestions for expanding prevention efforts to include public and parent education, life skills training for young adults, support groups for vulnerable children and adults, and intervention for identified victims and perpetrators.