Teachers’ Knowledge and Beliefs About Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse is one of the main types of abuse still to be addressed within the field of education, yet the education system itself can serve as a primary tool for its prevention. A better understanding of teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about child sexual abuse will allow us to establish key starting points from which to utilize the system for prevention. Four hundred and fifty teachers participated in this study, completing a questionnaire regarding their knowledge and beliefs about child sexual abuse. The study revealed that over half the teachers, 65.3% (n = 294), had never received any type of training in child sexual abuse education and that the majority were not familiar with methods of identifying child sexual abuse, 90.7% (n = 279). Various mistaken beliefs were identified among the participating teachers, such as pathological profiles of abusers, that the vast majority of child sexual abuse implies violent behavior, and that there cannot be abusers the same age as the victim. These results indicate that knowledge deficiencies do exist about child sexual abuse among teachers and highlight the need for training in this field.     

Preservice Teachers’ Sources of Information on Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse

Teachers in many countries are mandated by law, professional codes, or education authorities to report child abuse and neglect, including child sexual abuse. However, teachers may not receive adequate preparation for such sensitive interventions, as preservice teacher education degrees provide very few or no compulsory courses on child protection and crucially related, lifelong health and well-being issues. So, where do preservice teachers source their information regarding the mandatory reporting of such abuse? This research examines preservice teachers’ professional university education for their sources of information about mandatory reporting and child sexual abuse. A sample cohort of 56 final 4th-year university bachelor of education (primary school) student teachers in Australia identified the sources they used regarding 10 important aspects of child protection. The results suggest that most did not learn about mandatory reporting or child sexual abuse, and others cited sparse and sporadic public media as their primary information source. These findings, building on previous evidence about inadequate or nonexistent preservice mandatory intervention courses in primary teacher education, may guide the design of appropriate training responses enhancing educational professionals’ knowledge, competencies, skills, and efficacies as mandatory reporters of child sexual abuse.     

Sexual Abuse in Malawi: Patterns of Disclosure

Potential human immunodeficiency virus transmission makes prompt disclosure of child sexual abuse in Africa critical. The pattern of disclosure of 133 children presenting to the largest hospital in Malawi were analyzed. Eighty percent presented early enough for effective use of HIV postexposure prophylaxis. Seventy-five percent of children made a disclosure of child sexual abuse; 29% spontaneously and 47% after prompting. Disclosures were most commonly made to a parent, and age did not affect the pattern of disclosure. The number of children reporting child sexual abuse is increasing, possibly because of increasing awareness, availability of services, and fear of HIV. Although prompt disclosure rates were relatively high, facilitating easier disclosure of child sexual abuse by a free telephone help-line and better training of teachers may be helpful.     

Educating Australia’s Jewish Communities about Child Sexual Abuse

It has been claimed that effective responses to child sexual abuse (CSA) must engage with the specific cultural, social, and religious contexts of the target communities. For Jewish communities in Australia, the program J-Safe was established to raise awareness, create cultural change, and empower the Jewish community to be able to prevent, recognize, and address child sexual assault within the school setting. This paper reports on the experiences of teachers in two Jewish-day schools who had participated in the J-Safe Project’s protective behaviors teacher training program. Participants’ accounts of the training indicate the Project builds teachers’ knowledge and supports teachers’ skill development in the areas of incidence, behavioral indicators and responding to disclosure suggest the training has relevance for the Jewish teaching context. However, the extent to which the training was successful at engaging with culturally specific norms within the Jewish community seems to have been limited, although it may be that the participants were not atypical from the wider group who participated in the J-Safe Project training.     

Sexual Abuse Prevention Mobile Application (SAP_MobAPP) for Primary School Children in Korea

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effects of a sexual abuse prevention mobile application, SAP_MobAPP, for primary school children. Forty-five subjects were trained for 40 minutes once a week. The experimental group received education that utilized the SAP_MobAPP. Control group A received Web based sexual abuse prevention education, while control group B received textbook based sexual abuse prevention education. Effectiveness was verified through a survey on child sexual abuse recognition and avoidance skills administered before and after training. The SAP_MobAPP program improved recognition (awareness) and the child’s skills to avoid child sexual abuse situations, and the effects were long-lasting. However, differences between groups were not statistically significant. This study developed a sexual abuse prevention application and verified its effectiveness. Awareness and skills to avoid child sexual abuse after app education increased immediately after training and four weeks later. The SAP_MobAPP could be used for sexual abuse prevention education in schools.     

Training Knowledge of Professionals on Specific Topics in Child Sexual Abuse

This exploratory study examined the training background and self-reported level of knowledge of a group of professionals on specific topics in child sexual abuse. The results show that while the vast majority of those working with adult victims, female victims, and incest victims have received training, many professionals working in the area of child sexual abuse treatment have not had training on topics directly related to their work. It was found that fewer than 40% of those working with female offenders, victims and offenders who are gay or lesbian, victims and offenders who have developmental disabilities, or in cases where cultural issues are relevant, have had training in working with these types of cases. Those professionals who had received training reported feeling more knowledgeable on these topics than did those without training. It is recommended that graduate degree programs and continuing education programs examine their offerings in the area of child sexual abuse.     

Health Care and Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Health Professionals' Perspectives

The present study explored health professionals' experiences with adult survivors of child sexual abuse in New Zealand. Face-to-face, semistructured interviews of up to an hour took place with 13 health professionals. The participants were asked about training, screening practices, their response to disclosures, and advice to other health professionals. A model—transition to ethical practice—emerged from the data, where delivering more sensitive health care to child sexual abuse survivors sits on a continuum from lack of awareness of child sexual abuse to delivery of care where all patients are comfortable. We recommend making sensitive care for all as the standard care of practice and providing training for health professionals on how to deal with disclosures.     

UK Paramedics Confidence in Identifying Child Sexual Abuse: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

United Kingdom (UK) paramedics are in a prime position to identify children and young people who are victims or at risk of sexual abuse. Paramedics have access, by phone, or in person, to unprepared homes and communities which other health professionals such as social workers may not. Little research exists however, investigating UK paramedic confidence in identifying child sexual abuse. This mixed-method explanatory sequential investigation used the self-reported confidence levels of 276 UK paramedics to inform the design of seven semi-structured focus groups with 25 UK paramedics from a large ambulance service with operating models similar to all UK services. Multiple factors contribute to a lack of confidence in identifying child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, and female genital mutilation, including a perceived lack of exposure to sexual abuse, the perceived hidden nature of sexual abuse, and the lack of physical symptoms and examination. An overarching lack of knowledge is the most significant contributor to a lack of confidence which in turn perpetuates misinformation surrounding prevalence, location, and the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse. These findings suggest a lack of sufficient training and a need for further research evaluating the content of current training and its method of delivery.     

Assessment of the likelihood of primary school teachers believing children's disclosures of sexual abuse

Primary school teachers are reasonably well informed about sexual abuse but many have inaccurate knowledge about the age groups of victims and abusers. Male teachers were less well informed and less likely to believe a child's disclosure of sexual abuse than their female colleagues. Professional experience of an abused child did not affect teachers' level of knowledge or their likelihood of believing a disclosure.     

Sexual abuse: giving help to the children: A practical guide for concerned proiessionals

SUMMARY. This paper has been written for those professional workers who may have to deal with situations involving child sexual abuse, while having only limited knowledge and training. There are two sections. The first examines some of the key issues needed to increase understanding, and includes a preliminary discussion on the emotional impact of sexual abuse on Professional workers. Following a clarification of definitions, family aspects and incidence, this section focuses first on the child victims and then on the perpetrator. Finally, there is an examination of the consequences of child sexual abuse. The second section gives guidance on how a professional worker might respond if confronted with a case—from recognising the signs to facilitating disclosure. Suggestions are made about supporting the child during the investigation and heaving the child afterwards.     

The role of the medical provider in the evaluation of sexually abused children and adolescents

It was only 30 years ago that the medical community began to develop an increased awareness of child sexual abuse, and the role of the medical provider in the evaluation of sexually abused children has evolved significantly. As clinicians worldwide develop a greater understanding of the impact of the sexual abuse evaluation on the child, the roles of the physician and nurse have changed. In the United States, current practice often uses a multidisciplinary assessment involving skilled forensic interviewing of the child and a medical examination done by a medical provider with specialized training in sexual abuse. In order to minimize child interviews, these assessments are frequently held in settings such as child advocacy centers, where forensic interviewers and medical clinicians, child protective service workers, and police and district attorneys can work jointly to address the legal and protective issues in a coordinated fashion.     

Feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for childcare professionals: comparison of a web-based and in-person training

Recent prevention research has established the efficacy of some child sexual abuse prevention programs targeting adults; however, less is known about the feasibility of implementing such programs. The current study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for child care professionals provided in two different formats: in person and Web based. The sample consisted of 188 child care professionals from a large-scale, multisite, randomized controlled trial. Findings indicate that both in-person and online training formats are feasible to implement and acceptable to professionals. When comparing formats, the in-person format was favored in terms of comfort level and likelihood of sharing information with others. These findings have significant implications for dissemination of child sexual abuse prevention programs for child care professionals.     

The Effectiveness of Group Treatment for Female Adult Incest Survivors

Very few clinicians receive training in the treatment of sexual abuse, yet during their careers many will encounter victims of sexual abuse. This article discusses the incidence of child sexual abuse, defines incest, and discusses treatment options. A review of group treatment is explored, with results being documented providing support for the effectiveness of the group treatment process.     

Foster Parenting the Sexually Abused

The number of foster children with histories of sexual abuse has increased over the past decade. These children often demonstrate symptomatology which can tax the resources of foster parents. We describe a program designed to enhance parental sense of competence in dealing with abused children via the integration of parenting skills training with education on normative sexual development and child sexual abuse. Foster parents demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge and comfort with sexual development, behaviors associated with sexual abuse, and an increase in parental sense of competence. Additional analyses suggest a relationship between a child's sexual history and its impact on current foster parenting attitudes.     

Forensic, cultural, and systems issues in child sexual abuse cases--part 2: research and practitioner issues

This article introduces the second issue of the special double issue focusing on forensic, cultural, and systems issues in child sexual abuse cases. We briefly review the articles, which include a discussion of child sexual abuse myths, an empirical analysis of extended child sexual abuse evaluations, an article on the role of the medical provider in child sexual abuse evaluations, a study of satisfaction levels with multidisciplinary teams in child advocacy centers, and a commentary advocating for the credentialing of forensic interviewers. We call for further empirical examination of media related to child sexual abuse risk, research on appropriate models for extended sexual abuse interviews and evaluations, and optimal practices relevant to each member of multidisciplinary teams in a child advocacy center.     

The Seven Pillars of Quality Care in a Statewide Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program

This article describes a systematic approach used by a statewide pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner program to ensure the quality of forensic medical examinations it provides in child sexual abuse investigations. Seven strategies for enhancing quality are described: (a) hiring experienced professionals, (b) effective training, (c) comprehensive protocols, (d) ample support for pediatric sexual assault nurses, (e) management oversight, (f) a clinical coordinator to provide ongoing training and technical assistance, and (g) a quality assurance process in which expert child abuse pediatricians review each statewide pediatric sexual assault nurse examination. To show the evolution of quality care over time, the program's experience from 2004 to 2010 is reviewed, and quality assurance data are analyzed.     

Child Sexual Abuse and Women's Sexual Health: The Contribution of CSA Severity and Exposure to Multiple Forms of Childhood Victimization

Research studies have provided increasing evidence for the potential adverse impact of child sexual abuse on women's sexual health. The present study examined the association between child sexual abuse and sexual health while controlling for various forms of childhood victimization. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 889 young women from the province of Quebec. Results suggest that child sexual abuse survivors were more likely to report having experienced other forms of childhood victimization than were women without child sexual abuse. Women with a history of both child sexual abuse and multiple forms of victimization were at greater risk of experiencing more adverse outcomes, including risky sexual behaviors, sexual problems, and negative sexual self-concept. Regression analyses revealed that child sexual abuse was significantly related to indicators of sexual health outcomes even when controlling for the effect of single forms of victimization. Clinically, interventions optimizing sexual health may be particularly helpful for a subgroup of child sexual abuse survivors.     

Child sexual abuse: from prevention to self‐protection

There are a growing number of child abuse prevention and education programmes, including primarily group‐based parent and child education, which are taught by teachers within the school system. This article reviews some of the existing sexual abuse education and/or body safety programmes, as well as the research surrounding them. Advantages as well as criticisms of such programmes are reviewed. Issues such as target populations (i.e. children, teachers, parents), programme components and methodological limitations are addressed. Major findings include: children as young as three can be effectively taught self‐protection skills, parental and family involvement in training is important, and repeated exposure helps children maintain knowledge gains. The components of successful programmes include teaching children to identify and resist inappropriate touching, reassuring children that it is not their fault and learning the proper names of their genitals. Finally, future directions for programme development, research and policy are explored. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.