Introduction
Child sexual abuse is a serious problem that has received increased attention in recent years. From an ecological perspective, in which social problems are viewed in the context of characteristics of individuals, families and broader societal systems (Prilleltensky, Nelson & Peirson, 2001), preventing child sexual abuse involves strengthening capacity to intervene at individual, family/ relationship, school and community levels.
School-based education programs have been developed in efforts to prevent child sexual abuse before it happens, and to provide children who may already be experiencing it with information about the importance of and strategies for seeking help. Design of these programs must be based on evidence rather than ideology. Evaluations have demonstrated that sexual abuse prevention education can provide children with improved knowledge and skills for responding to, and reporting, potential sexual abuse. School-based programs typically present information to children via a series of core concepts and messages, which are delivered using engaging pedagogical strategies such as multimedia technologies, animations, theatre and songs, puppets, picture books and games. This chapter outlines the key characteristics of effective child sexual abuse prevention programs and identifies directions for future research and practice.
Definition of Sexual Abuse, Prevalence and Effects
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child sexual abuse as ‘the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend; is unable to give informed consent to; or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent; or that violates the laws or social taboos of society’ (1999, p. 15). The WHO further defines child sexual abuse as involving sexual activity ‘between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power’ (WHO, 1999, p. 16). Some examples include, but are not limited to, sexual watching of a child while dressing or bathing; sexual touching of a child's genitals or nipples; taking photographs of a child's genitals, involving a child in making pornography; masturbation of an adult by a child; vaginal or anal penetration; or involving a child in prostitution.
In these cases, the sexual activity is illegal and exploitative, and is being used to gratify or satisfy the needs of the abuser.