By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Heidi Radunovich, PhD, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida
One topic nobody enjoys discussing with their children is sexual abuse. If you’re like most parents, the very idea of bringing it up makes you uncomfortable. You might worry that talking about this issue will make your children feel worried or confused, or that they’ll ask questions you don’t know how to answer.
Avoiding the Subject is Common
For this reason, many moms and dads tend to stick to vague warnings, like “Never talk to strangers” (something children see us do often—and that at times, we encourage) or “Don’t get into a car with someone you don’t know” (great advice, but not nearly enough).
School Prevention Programs On the Rise
Parents definitely need to do more than this to ensure that their children are as protected as they can be against sexual abuse (which, as a reminder, is perpetrated by someone the child knows 85 to 95% of the time). Fortunately, schools today also often present sexual abuse prevention programs, which can help reinforce parental education and “fill in the gaps” for those children not given this information at home. By the mid-1990s, about two-thirds of American children between the ages of 10 and 16 had participated in at least one such program.
Do They Work?
But are these educational efforts effective? Do they improve children’s understanding of topics like good and bad touch, knowing which parts are private, and what to do and who to tell if abuse has occurred? And might children be frightened or troubled by such content–a common concern for parents?
A Look at the Evidence
Recently, researchers took a look at 24 high-quality studies that included over 5800 children (and were conducted in seven countries) to find out more about school-based sexual abuse education programs. On balance, the researchers concluded that there is good evidence that these programs do improve children’s knowledge and understanding of concepts that would help them to recognize, prevent, and report sexual abuse. Many children retained this knowledge for weeks to months.
In some cases, researchers set up a fake “stranger danger” test to see how children responded, and they generally did well. Importantly, those studies that tested for increased fear and anxiety in children found little to no reason for concern.
This is good news for parents, teachers, and children. Even if these programs prevent only some or a few abuse situations from occurring, they are worth it.
Although none of us enjoy bringing up this unpleasant subject, it’s crucial that we inform and empower children. To learn more about talking about sexual abuse with your children, visit the links in Further Reading.
Further Reading
Talking to Your Child–from the US Department of Justice
How Can I Protect My Child From Sexual Assault?–from RAINN (the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network)
Tip Sheet: Talking to Children and Teens–from Stop It Now!
Child Sexual Abuse Fact Sheet–from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
References:
Deblinger, E., Thakkar-Kolar, R. R., Berry, E. J., & Schroeder, C. M. (2010). Caregivers’ efforts to educate their children about child sexual abuse : A replication study. Child Maltreatment, 15(1), 91-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1077559509337408
Walsh, K., Zwi, K., Woolfenden, S., & Shlonsky, A. (2015). School-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 4. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107755950933740810.1002/14651858.CD004380.pub3
Photo Credits: Elina Manninen/iStock/Thinkstock
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