Sexual Abuse Prevention Research Articles

Anne’s Secret: Teaching Children to Protect Themselves from Child Sexual Abuse Using Animated Cartoons

This paper presents an innovative methodology for the prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA): animated cartoons. CSA is a political, social, educational, and psychological problem that affects many children according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That is why prevention becomes an essential tool for the protection of children. Children are increasingly accustomed to the use of digital media, both for learning and for entertainment. In response to this evolution on how information is transmitted and according to the tradition that cartoons have always had of transmitting values such as friendship, ecology, or solidarity, a 15-minute long video was developed. This video is an animated cartoon, presenting a story. It is composed of music, six friends, and three fantasy characters, and it was designed for children to learn resources to ask for help in case they are suffering CSA. The video is accompanied by a workbook through which both children and adults reinforce what they have learned in the cartoons and learn additional keys for their protection. Data from the first pilot studies carried out to test the effectiveness of this methodology are also presented, with promising results.

Development and pilot test of criteria defining best practices for organizational sexual assault prevention

Sexual violence affects millions of Americans, and approximately one out of every three women and one out of every four men have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime. While prevention efforts have focused on implementing specific programmatic approaches, there has been relatively little focus on developing comprehensive and effective approaches to reduce sexual assault prevention across an organization. This study describes the development of the Prevention Evaluation Framework, an assessment targeting organizational best practices for comprehensive sexual assault prevention across multiple domains including human resources, collaborative relationships and infrastructure, use of evidence-informed approaches, quality implementation and continuous evaluation of programs/policies. Using the structured RAND/University of California, Los Angeles appropriateness method to develop the assessment, we conducted a literature review and solicited expert feedback about what a comprehensive organizational approach to sexual assault prevention should entail. We then pilot tested the assessment with 3 United States military service academies; and continued to improve and adapt the assessment to a range of organizations with input from 6 Department of Defense headquarters organizations, and 9 universities across the country. Given the nascent state of the evidence about what makes an effective organizational approach to sexual assault prevention, the assessment reflects one way of promoting quality in this evolving field. The consistency between the experts’ ratings and the literature, and the relevance of the items across organizations suggest that the assessment provides important guidance to inform the development of comprehensive organizational approaches to sexual assault prevention and to the evaluation of ongoing efforts.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention: Parental Discussion, Protective Practices and Attitudes.

Understanding parental practices and attitudes regarding child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention could be used to improve CSA prevention, but little information is available. In this study, we summarise survey data collected from 248 Australian and UK parents (87% female) with at least one child aged 6-11 years (M = 8.6, SD = 1.8). This is the first study to quantify parental use of protective practices, other than prevention education, which may guard against CSA. Parental media mediation, which may safeguard against online dangers, was another unique focus of this study. Participants reported their discussion of sensitive topics with their children including CSA; behaviors that may reduce the incidence of CSA (e.g., monitoring, supervision, delegation of care and checking-in with the child); mediation of their child's media use; and attitudes towards CSA prevention education. Parents reported discussing sexual abuse less than other sensitive topics such as abduction dangers, drugs, and death but more than issues surrounding puberty, sex and pornography. Parents reported using high levels of protective behaviours, however some areas of concern were revealed. Of concern was the low-moderate level of parental media mediation, with substantial numbers of children potentially exposed to online risks such as using devices unsupervised in bedrooms or chatting to individuals unknown to their parents and not having their devices checked for concerning content. Almost all parents were supportive of CSA prevention education and felt they should provide this education. However, two-thirds of parents thought CSA education may be associated with harms for the child and two-thirds of parents believed children could prevent their own abuse. Reported results will aid in our understanding of which areas of parenting could be strengthened to create safer environments for children. This research has particularly highlighted the need for parents to be more protective around their children's access to online devices.

The impact of using creative drama in the delivery of Body Safety Training Programs for preschool children on preventing sexual abuse in Turkey

AbstractThe study focuses on the impact of the creative drama method on child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention program in Turkey. A pretest–posttest experimental design with a control group was used in the study. The research was carried out with a total of 72 preschool children aged 3–6 years. Data were collected by What If Situations Test (WIST). A creative drama activity was conducted for the experimental group before training. Body Safety Training (BST) was used in both groups. The average WIST posttest scores were statistically significantly higher compared to pretest scores for the children in both groups (p < .05). A comparison of pretest and posttest assessment found that there was no statistically significant difference (p > .05) between the two groups in regard to the WIST assessment averages. BST Program has a positive impact on increasing personal safety skills when implemented together with creative drama activities.

Teaching Safeguarding through Books: A Content Analysis of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Books

ABSTRACT Research attests that when children are given essential knowledge about Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) prevention, such as the maintenance of boundaries and personal space, the correct anatomical names for genitals, and information on how to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching, children are less likely to experience sexual abuse and more likely to disclose abuse they have already encountered. CSA prevention books aim to teach children safety skills, helping to inform them on how to assess a situation and what to do if they are made to feel uncomfortable. This research analyzes 44 CSA prevention books to ascertain whether they are in line with academic recommendations as to what knowledge children should be taught in order to protect them, as much as possible, from sexual abuse. While most of the books do follow advice derived from the academic literature, only 7 books contained 70% or more of the information research determined to be essential. Despite the documented importance of teaching children anatomically correct names for genitals, this was missing in 91% of books analyzed. It is recommended, therefore, in order to ensure sufficient coverage of essential information, that multiple CSA prevention books are obtained for, and read with, children.

Women of Color Student Survivors' Perceptions of Campus Sexual Assault Prevention Programming.

This article presents a qualitative study of 44 Women of Color undergraduate student survivors' perceptions of campus sexual assault prevention programming using the framework of standpoint theory. Participants held perceptions concerning online training prior to college, the in-person presentations they attended during new student orientation, and the lack of information relayed through prevention programs about sexual assault perpetration. Findings highlight the need for continued research investigating the standpoints of Women of Color students to better inform implementation of prevention efforts.

Sexual and reproductive health knowledge among primary school students in Malaysia

BACKGROUND:There is limited research on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge level among very young adolescents aged between 10 and 14 years. Policy makers and educators are unable to address very young adolescents’ SRH needs without proper understanding of their SRH knowledge. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore very young adolescents’ SRH knowledge level and the influences of demographic variables on the respondents’ SRH knowledge level in Malaysian primary schools.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This cross-sectional study involved 617 primary five students who were recruited through multistage sampling method from the state of Johor, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.81) which comprised of 38 items related to puberty, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, prevention of child sexual abuse and reproductive systems and reproduction was used. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the association between demographic variables and student's SRH knowledge.RESULTS:Based on the results, 28.5% of the respondents had unsatisfactory level of SRH knowledge. Among the four dimensions, the respondents had more knowledge on prevention of child sexual abuse but displayed poorer knowledge on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases topic. The findings indicated female (odd ratio [OR] = 1.464) and Indian respondents (OR = 3.208) are more likely to exhibit poor SRH knowledge which suggested demographic factors exert some extent of influence on primary school children's SRH knowledge.CONCLUSION:The findings provide useful insights for the policy makers and educators seeking to improve the comprehensiveness of culturally accepted sexuality education which are essential in promoting young adolescents’ well-being.

Sexual assault cases managed at a referral hospital in Western Ethiopia: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Objectives:Sexual assault is the most prevalent and hidden global problem. The condition is worse in developing countries like Ethiopia. Therefore, this study described the survivors’ characteristics, clinical profiles, and management of cases of sexual assault at the One-Stop Service Center for survivors of sexual assault at a referral hospital in Western Ethiopia.Methods:A facility-based retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess 203 cases of sexual assault managed at the One-Stop Service Center for survivors of sexual assault in Wollega University Referral Hospital from January 2019 to March 2022. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured checklist. Data were organized using Epidata version 3.1, cleaned, and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. The results were presented in tables.Results:Of 203 cases of alleged sexual assaults during the study period, 142 (70%) and 61 (30%) of survivors were raped and attempted rape, respectively. The age of survivors ranges from 3 to 28 years with a mean age of 15.7 ± 4.7 years. One hundred ninety-four (95.6%) were females. Seventy percent of them were students. Most of the survivors, 173 (85.2%), were assaulted by a person known to them. Only 74 (36.5%) present to the hospital within 72 h. Genital injuries were documented in 153 (75.4%). More than half, 112 (55.2%), were brought to the hospital by the police officers. In this study, 34 (16.7%) of survivors were admitted and 10 (4.9%) needed surgical procedures. Serology for syphilis, hepatitis B virus and HIV were reactive in 5 (7.1%), 1 (0.5%), and 1 (0.5%) respectively. The pregnancy test was positive in 12 (7.1%) of survivors. One (0.5%) study participant died in the intensive care unit.Conclusion:In this study, children and adolescents were the most vulnerable group, and survivors’ presentation to the hospital was delayed. They presented to the hospital with variable complications, including minor genital and/or extra-genital injuries, sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, fractures, and multiple organ failures leading to death. Therefore, it is recommended that all concerned stakeholders work on the prevention of sexual assault in the study area. Legal protection for these survivors and students should also be strengthened. It is also recommended to evaluate the execution of existing national and international policies and programs toward sexual assault to develop contextual policies and guidelines.

Acute Alcohol Intoxication, State Anger, and Sexual Assault Perpetration: The Role of State Emotion Regulation.

Alcohol-involved sexual assault remains a pervasive problem, with extensive individual- and societal-level costs. Emotion regulation (ER), the process through which an individual modulates emotional states, remains an understudied predictor of sexual assault perpetration, with past research focusing on general ER tendencies (e.g., trait ER) as predictors of sexual assault perpetration. This study sought to examine the associations between state ER on sexual assault perpetration in the context of state anger and acute alcohol intoxication. Single, male social drinkers aged 21-30 with a history of sexual risk-taking (N = 92) participated in an alcohol administration paradigm and were randomly assigned to an alcohol condition [sober control vs. intoxicated (BrAC = .10%)]. Intoxicated and sober participants completed a sexual assault analogue that assessed state anger, state ER, and sexual assault perpetration intentions against a hypothetical female partner. Path analysis demonstrated interactive effects of state ER and state anger on sexual assault perpetration intentions. Relative to men with low and moderate levels of anger, state ER was associated with lower intentions to perpetrate sexual assault for men with high levels of anger. Alcohol intoxication did not directly predict state ER, state anger, or sexual assault perpetration intentions. The results suggested that state ER may be protective against sexual assault perpetration for men who experience anger in response to a partner's expression of non-consent. Because replication is necessary, the results carry tentative implications for state ER as an intervention target for sexual assault prevention programming.

Gender and sexual minority status as predictors of sexual consent attitudes among cisgender young adults

ABSTRACT Sexual consent campaigns aimed at reducing risk of sexual violence have historically been informed by research focusing almost exclusively on heterosexual young adults despite concerning rates of sexual violence committed against sexual minorities. Unfortunately, very little research has quantitatively compared how sexual consent attitudes may differ between men and women of different sexual identities. The current study attempts to help address this gap in the literature by examining how gender, sexual minority status, and the interaction of these variables contribute to sexual consent attitudes using a sample of 310 young adult cisgender participants. Sexual minority status was associated with greater perceived behavioural control over the consent process and identifying as a man predicted less awareness of consent. Gender differences in the endorsement of positive attitudes towards consent were more pronounced among heterosexual as compared to sexual minority participants. Finally, although men reported more assumptions about sexual consent than women in both sexual identity groups, the magnitude of the difference across gender was greater in the heterosexual group. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to help improve sexual assault prevention campaign efforts.

Child sexual abuse prevention – the strategies of protective mothers and fathers: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Child sexual abuse (CSA) is an important ongoing public health and criminal problem. Greater awareness in prevention efforts to protect children has been observed typically focussing on schools to teach children protective behaviors. Limited research investigated parental strategies, which means little is known about techniques parents use to protect their children from sexual victimization. Given the paucity of research to understand the current knowledge about parents’ protective behaviors to prevent CSA, the purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize and analyze studies that reported on parental protective strategies. The review addressed the following research question: What are mothers’ and/or fathers’ strategies in preventing/reducing the risk of their children becoming victimized by CSA? Rigor was ensured using the PRISMA framework and the CASP checklist for quality assessment of studies. Our systematic search of peer-reviewed articles resulted in a total of 16 records to be included in the final analysis. Results indicated that mothers and fathers use a variety of measures to protect their children from the risk of CSA. Strategies include educating children about CSA, monitoring and supervising the children, as well as creating a safe environment. The review concluded that parents play an important role in prevention efforts of CSA and their protective behaviors along with concerns about school-based prevention should be recognized and supported. Further studies are urgently needed to examine and evaluate parental protective behaviors including potential differences between maternal and paternal strategies.

Neural processing associated with cognitive empathy in pedophilia and child sexual offending.

Behavioral studies found evidence for superior cognitive empathy (CE) in pedophilic men without a history of child sexual offending (P − CSO) compared to pedophilic men with a history of child sexual offending (P + CSO). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies also point to differences between P − CSO and P + CSO. Neural processing associated with CE has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the neural correlates of CE in subjects with pedophilia with (P + CSO) and without (P − CSO) child sexual offending. 15 P + CSO, 15 P − CSO and 24 teleiophilic male controls (TC) performed a CE task during fMRI. We observed reduced activation in the left precuneus (Pcu) and increased activation in the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in P − CSO compared to P + CSO. P − CSO also showed stronger connectivity between these regions, which might reflect a top-down modulation of the Pcu by the ACC toward an increased self-focused emotional reaction in social situations. There was also evidence for increased right superior temporal gyrus activation in P − CSO that might constitute a potentially compensatory recruitment due to the dampened Pcu activation. These findings provide first evidence for altered neural processing of CE in P − CSO and underline the importance of addressing CE in pedophilia and CSO in order to uncover processes relevant to effective prevention of child sexual abuse.

Perbedaan Penggunaan Media Video Animasi dan Kartu Bergambar terhadap Pencegahan Sexual Abuse pada Anak Usia Sekolah

The problem of sexual education is getting less attention from parents. Most parents think thatsexual education is the responsibility of the school. Sex education that can be done to children isby using audiovisual media and picture cards. The purpose of this study was to determine thedifferences in the use of animated video media and picture cards on the prevention of sexualabuse in school-age children. This type of research is a quasi-experimental design with Two GroupDesign. The sample is students of SDN 5 Megang Sakti, totaling 30 students. The samplingtechnique used was purposive sampling. This study uses univariate and bivariate data analysiswith dependent t test and independent sample t test. The results showed that the use of animatedvideo media and picture cards had an effect on increasing knowledge of sexual abuse preventionin school-age children with value <0.05. Based on statistical tests, there are significant differencesin the use of video media and picture cards with a value of value = 0.036. Both media are effectivein increasing knowledge, but there is a difference of 2.3 between animated video media andpicture cards which means that the use of animated video media is more effective than picturecards.

An Eliasian analysis of students’ views on guidelines against sexual harassment and abuse in sport

This article explores an important measure in current prevention policies in sport: guidelines against sexual harassment and abuse. Because little is known about how people involved in sport understand and relate to such guidelines, it fills a gap in current research on sexual harassment and abuse prevention in sport. We draw on ‘video elicitation’ focus group interviews with sport students in Norway. Our analysis is guided by Norbert Elias's sociology of knowledge and particularly his concept of ‘degrees of involvement and detachment’. First, we found that the students had limited knowledge about the sexual harassment and abuse guidelines. Second, we saw how their discussions alternated between different positions when reflecting upon the guidelines’ usefulness. From a relatively detached position, the students supported the general idea of guidelines. From the more involved position they voiced concern related to conduct regulations that conflicted with valued aspects of sport practice and mentioned problematic aspects of sport culture that the guidelines do not target. In a blend of involvement and detachment, the students drew on their sport experiences to reflect critically on both the potentials and limitations of the sexual harassment and abuse guidelines. Finally, we draw some implications of the analysis for the improvement of prevention work.

Institutional Response and Impact of Reporting Sexual Violence: An Examination of Sexual and Gender Minority College Students.

Although college students who are sexual and gender minorities (SGM) experience higher rates of sexual victimization than their peers who identify as heterosexual and cisgender, there is a paucity in the literature investigating how college campuses can address the needs of SGM college students in violence prevention and response. The present research examines a subset of data from the Healthy Minds Survey (HMS), a national web-based survey administered across two universities from 2016 to 2017. We examined the role of SGM status in the rates of sexual violence, perceptions of their college/university's institutional response to reports of sexual violence (e.g., taking a report seriously and taking corrective action), and the perceived impact of reporting sexual violence (e.g., students would support the person making a report). Logistic regression analyses revealed higher rates of sexual victimization among sexual minority students (compared to heterosexual), women (compared to men), and transgender and gender diverse (TGD) students (compared to cisgender). In addition, sexual minority (compared to heterosexual), women (compared to men), and TGD (compared to cisgender) students were more likely to perceive their institution would have a poor response to reports of sexual violence. Women and sexual minority students were also likely to believe that students who report sexual violence would suffer academically. These findings highlight the need for continued efforts to enhance sexual assault prevention and response efforts on college campuses, especially for SGM students.

Integration of a Sexual Abuse Prevention Programme in the First‐Grade Indonesian Curriculum to Improve Children's Self‐Protection

The purpose of this article is to analyse the effect of the School‐Based Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programme (Program Prevensi Pelecehan Seksual Berbasis Sekolah (P3SBS)) on first‐grade primary school students' ability to protect themselves from sexual abuse. The study was conducted in two primary schools in Surakarta, Indonesia. Fifty‐five students participated in the P3SBS and 55 participants were in the control group. The pre‐test and post‐test of the control group were designed to test the effectiveness of the P3SBS. In total, 110 first‐grade primary school students who participated in the P3SBS and the control group were tested using the ‘What If’ Situation Test. Measurement of children's self‐protection from sexual abuse was undertaken. The results show that there is a significant difference between the P3SBS and the control group regarding children's ability to self‐protect themselves from sexual abuse. These results suggest that the P3SBS is effective in enhancing children's ability to protect themselves from sexual abuse. Suggestions for expanding sex education for older children are related to puberty.‘Analyse the effect of the School‐Based Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programme on first‐grade primary school students' ability to protect themselves from sexual abuse’Key Practitioner Messages Child sexual abuse prevention should be school based to be effective. Child sexual abuse prevention programmes should be designed in accordance with children's characteristics. Parent–teacher collaboration is very important for the successful implementation of a sexual abuse prevention programme.

Latent Profiles of Internal and External Consent During a Recent Sexual Encounter.

Understanding how individuals conceptualize and communicate sexual consent is critical to sexual health and has important implications for the prevention of sexual assault. This study used a data-driven (vs. a theoretical) approach to understand how students' internal feelings of willingness (i.e., internal consent) and behavioral communication of consent (i.e., external consent) cluster together within sexual encounters. Using data from 610 college students (72% female) who reported on their most recent sexual encounter, latent profile analysis revealed five distinct consent profiles. Most students reported willing encounters that involved the use of several external consent cues (68.9%), a small group reported low levels of both internal and external consent (3.8%), and three groups (27.3% altogether) reported encounters with complex patterns of internal and external consent. Demographic and encounter-level differences were observed across profiles. Programming that trains students to attend to their own internal desires in addition to external consent behaviors could improve emotional health and shift social norms about sexual communication.

Development and Validation of a Mobile Game for Culturally Sensitive Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education in Tanzania: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundGlobally, 3 out of 20 children experience sexual abuse before the age of 18 years. Educating children about sexual abuse and prevention is an evidence-based strategy that is recommended for ending child sexual abuse. Digital games are increasingly being used to influence healthy behaviors in children and could be an efficient and friendly approach to educating children about sexual abuse prevention. However, little is known on the best way to develop a culturally sensitive game that targets children in Africa—where sexual education is still taboo—that would be engaging, effective, and acceptable to parents and caretakers.ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop a socioculturally appropriate, mobile-based game for educating young children (<5 years) and parents and caretakers in Tanzania on sexual abuse prevention.Methods HappyToto children’s game was co-designed with 111 parents and caretakers (females: n=58, 52.3%; male: n=53, 47.7%) of children below 18 years of age and 24 child experts in Tanzania through surveys and focus group discussions conducted from March 2020 to April 2020. From these, we derived an overview of topics, sociocultural practices, social environment, and game interface designs that should be considered when designing child sexual abuse prevention (CSAP) education interventions. We also conducted paper prototyping and storyboarding sessions for the game’s interface, storylines, and options. To validate the application’s prototype, 32 parents (females: n=18, 56%; males: n=14, 44%) of children aged 3-5 years and 5 children (females: n=2, 40%; males: n=3, 60%) of the same age group played the game for half an hour on average. The parents undertook a pre-post intervention assessment on confidence and ability to engage in CSAP education conversations, as well as exit surveys on the usability and sociocultural acceptability of the game, while children were quizzed on the topics covered and their enjoyment of the game.ResultsParents and caregivers showed interest in the developed game during the conducted surveys, and each parent on average navigated through all the parts of the game. The confidence level of parents in talking about CSAP increased from an average of 3.56 (neutral) before using the game to 4.9 (confident) after using the game. The ability scores, calculated based on a range of topics included in CSAP education talks with children, also increased from 5.67 (out of 10) to 8.8 (out of 10) after the game was played. Both confidence level and ability scores were statistically significant (P<.001). All 5 children were interested in the game and enjoyed the game-provided activities.ConclusionsThe HappyToto game can thus be an effective technology-based intervention for improving the knowledge and skills of parents and children in CSAP education.

Selected legal aspects of sexual abuse prevention

The article on selected aspects of sexual abuse prevention presents the subject matter from the legal perspective and discusses the issues concerning prevention and control of sexual offences in Poland. The article refers to the status of the child in criminal law and applicable provisions under the Directive 2011/92/EU and the Lanzarote Convention concerning prevention, assistance and support for juveniles. In this context, presented have been the obligations of the state (public authorities), including the police, to prevent this type of crime as well as the diffi culties associated with the implementation of relevant tasks. The conclusions indicate the problems that require practical solutions.

Effectiveness of Sexual Abuse Prevention Training Program Developed by Creative Drama for Preschoolers: An Experimental Study

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the “My Body is Special” Training Program (MBS-TP), which was developed using the creative drama method to gain information about body recognition and body safety in preventing sexual abuse in children. This is an experimental study conducted with a control group using a pretest/posttest design. This study was carried out in two preschools in Turkey, involving 87 children in the 5–6 age group. MBS-TP was applied to children in the intervention group through eight sessions over 3 weeks. Results indicate that the body’s private areas were guessed at lower rates in the intervention group in the pretest (vagina/vulva 13.6%, penis 2.3%) than the posttest (vagina/vulva 77.3%, penis 68.2%). In the control group, in both the pretest (vagina/vulva 7.7%, penis 0%) and posttest (vagina/vulva 11.5%, penis 0%) knowledge was at similarly low rates. There was a statistically significant increase in the knowledge of “saying, doing, telling, reporting” skills of protecting their bodies for children in the intervention group in the posttest. The “MBS-TP” was found to be effective in increasing ability to recognize parts of the body and body safety techniques for preventing sexual abuse in children aged 5–6.