Citation

McKibbin G, Humphreys C. Child Abuse Negl. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104422

PMID

32122641

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse is a problem of significant proportion in Australia and globally. Prevention efforts have tended to occur on an ad hoc basis and to be poorly evaluated. A measured, evidence-based public health approach to preventing child sexual abuse is necessary to enhance the prevention agenda.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to engage with the work of Letourneau and colleagues about a public health approach to child sexual abuse prevention from an Australian perspective.

METHODS: In this commentary paper, following on from Letourneau and colleagues, policy resistance to addressing the problem of child sexual abuse and its prevention in the Australian context is explored. Promising pockets of research, policy and practice are described that indicate greater readiness and a lessening policy resistance to address child sexual abuse through a comprehensive public health approach. Finally, ideas for enhancing primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies in Australia are highlighted.

CONCLUSIONS: The Australian child sexual abuse prevention agenda would benefit from adopting a measured public health approach involving the design, implementation, and evaluation of primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions. Early intervention strategies are particularly underdeveloped in an Australian context.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Child sexual abuse; Children and young people; Commentary; Harmful sexual behavior; Prevention