Political factors shaping national priority and capacity to address child sexual abuse: a scoping review and framework

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a low political priority in most countries, despite its high prevalence and severe consequences. Little research examines the political and bureaucratic factors shaping national responses to CSA. This scoping review identifies political factors shaping national priority and capacity to address CSA. The review is based on literature published between 2010 and 2025 in PubMed, PAIS, and SCOPUS. Eighty-four articles met inclusion criteria, spanning 36 high, middle, and low-income countries and territories. Findings indicate that national responses are shaped by three interrelated domains: historical and sociocultural context, priority-setting processes, and capacity-building efforts. For context, patriarchal beliefs, victim-blaming, and honor–shame norms create cultures of silence that discourage disclosure. Broader challenges—such as poverty, tourism, and digital technologies—heighten CSA risks, while colonial legacies and fragmented legal frameworks constrain justice and coherent policy responses. For priority-setting, advocacy by service providers, researchers, women’s movements, survivors, and political champions has been pivotal in many of the countries studied for reframing CSA as a public issue and for pressing governments to act. High-profile scandals and media exposure often catalyze attention, while legislative reforms, inquiries, and international discourses help sustain momentum and accountability. Regarding capacity for addressing CSA, most countries face workforce shortages, weak inter-agency coordination, unstable funding, and limited accountability systems. Although awareness is rising, stigma and misconceptions persist, hindering effective discovery, prevention, and protection. Drawing on these insights, we propose a framework of fourteen factors organized into three interrelated analytical domains—context, priority, and capacity—that shape national responses to CSA, and inform the need for future research, policy, and advocacy.