Effectiveness of the child sexual abuse prevention program

Objectives: Based on Rogers’ protection motivation theory, the threat of sexual abuse was evaluated in this study. The results confirmed that belief in one’s ability to cope with threats resulted in a change in behavior. The study aim was to lay the foundation for preventing child sexual abuse by helping children recognize its seriousness and their vulnerability and respond verbally and behaviorally to sexual abuse situations by enhancing their self-efficacy. Methods: Data were collected between July and September 2021. The study participants were fourth graders registered at a children’s center in G City. Each of the experimental and control groups included 22 children. The experimental group participated in six programs twice a week. Each session lasted 40 minutes. The control group was provided with the “Guide for the Prevention of Child Sexual Violence”. Results: In the experimental group, sexual abuse perception, self-efficacy, and the ability to cope with sexual abuse showed statistically significant effects over time that continued for four weeks. Conclusion: This program was found to be an effective intervention for improving children’s perceptions of sexual abuse, their self-efficacy, and the ability to cope with threats of sexual abuse.