Responding to child sexual abuse in the United States and Kenya: Child protection and children's rights

Abstract

Child welfare policies and practices vary widely across nations, but most comparative studies have focused on differences between North American and European countries in how they address the abuse and exploitation of children. Using a comparative case-study approach to examine differences and similarities in how the United States and Kenya have responded to the sexual abuse of children, this article illustrates why it is important to examine and compare child welfare policies and practices in a wider range of countries. The dominant strategy for addressing child sexual abuse in the United States is the formal child protection system, while Kenya focuses more on locally-based efforts for empowering children and communities to resist and interrupt exploitation and abuse. Since both approaches have strengths and weaknesses, there is a great deal that the two countries could learn from and teach each other. The authors suggest that it is important to acknowledge children's strengths, agency, and rights, as well as their vulnerabilities, and conclude that responses to child sexual abuse and other types of maltreatment may be strengthened by a clearer understanding of how history, culture, politics, and economics influence the development and effectiveness of child protective policies and practices.