The Role of the Family in Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs

Abstract

In response to the problem of child sexual abuse, there has been a proliferation of school-based prevention programs. In conjunction with the children's programs, there have also been efforts to develop a parent education component. After examining the potential roles for adult caretakers in school sexual abuse prevention programs, we raise issues that should be considered before such programs are implemented. These issues include: the necessity of developing a true “partnership” between school and community; the possible unintended consequence of deskilling parents; the recognition that adults sought as “partners” in these programs might actually be abusers; the use of such gender-neutral terms as “abusive parent” which serve to disguise who actually abuses and who is held responsible for protecting the child; the reaction to what is perceived as intervention in the family. These issues are crucial to consider, because a haphazard approach to parental involvement could cause damage to the program, as well as to the trust that is necessary between educators and parents.