This paper explores the issue of harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) presented by young people, advocating a preventative approach through an increased focus on primary education. The definition of HSB, contributing factors and recent prevalence among young people is discussed. Much of the research and policies explored relate directly to England and…

Cost analyses are used to determine overall costs of implementing evidence-based programming and may help decision makers determine how best to allocate finite resources. Child sexual abuse (CSA), regularly viewed as a human rights violation, is also a public health concern estimated to impact 27% of females and 5% of males by age 18. Universal,…

Violence against women remains a serious and widespread problem in Australia with enormous impacts and social costs. Recently, there have been renewed government efforts to address gender-based violence in schools through a whole school approach. This approach has come to be known as Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) and supports schools to…

Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) has grave implications for survivors, as well as repercussions for the survivors' family members and professionals, such as teachers, who work with child survivors of sexual abuse. Objective: As teachers are often key supportive figures for CSA survivors, the present study aims to contribute to the…

Objective: This study examined three dimensions of parental engagement in Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) prevention education (knowledge, attitudes and practices) to determine whether increased knowledge and attitudes favouring CSA education led to increases in parental behaviours while controlling for multiple factors. Design: A random, digitally…

Educator sexual misconduct continues to present a problem in U.S. K-12 schools. As mandatory reporters, K-12 educators must report any suspicion of educator sexual misconduct, but despite state and federal laws regarding reporting, educator sexual misconduct often goes unreported. The purpose of this exploratory phenomenological study was to learn…

Background: Evidence-based child sexual and physical abuse prevention programs delivered in schools are needed and require rigorous evaluation of program effects prior to widespread dissemination. The Play it Safe! program is a one-time session delivered by trained facilitators to teach students about recognizing, resisting, and reporting abuse.…

Children's experience of harm and abuse has a profound impact on their health and well-being. In response, school-based prevention programmes have been developed and delivered by external organisations with the aim of improving children's awareness and understanding of forms of harm and abuse which may affect them, encouraging them to seek help if…

The dominant 'heterosexual script' positions men as sexually desiring subjects who initiate sex and use active displays of power to attract women, and women as passive sexual objects who use indirect means to attract men (e.g. physical appearance). While much research has highlighted how this script is deployed in high school settings, less work…

This article explores how young people in Sweden talk about and understand violence, with a particular emphasis on how violence, gender, space and time are co-constructed in this discourse. We found that young people display an ambivalent attitude to violence, reinforcing several contradictory discourses of violence. Young people adopt various…

The purpose of this article is to examine how the discourse of childhood innocence masks the ways in which sexual violence by boys against girls is perpetrated in kindergarten. Findings from a year-long ethnographic study conducted in two Canadian kindergarten classrooms show that narrow understandings of gender and sexuality in childhood obscure…

This study examined the content, timing, and perceived effectiveness of college student's previous preschool-12th grade sexual health education and evaluated differences among those who had experienced sexual assault. 964 Midwestern university students completed an online survey recalling their prior sexual health education curriculum. First…

Purpose: Children exposed to adversity (e.g., chronic poverty, traumatic events, and maltreatment) are at increased risk for performing below age expectations on norm-referenced language assessments, but it is unknown whether the risk is higher for specific language impairment (SLI). This exploratory study investigated whether adversity exposure…

Adverse Childhood Experiences are characterized by varying forms of abuse, neglect, and household challenges. Students bring the effects of these traumas into the school and classroom in the form of behavioral, emotional, social, and academic challenges. In 2020, Lake Forest Central Elementary School had a poverty rate of 45%, and a diversity…

The commercial sexual exploitation of children is a growing concern around the world. Education about this concern is a key component to preventing further occurrences. The Committee for Children found few educational models in U.S. schools. School counselors play a significant role in preventing, identifying, and connecting students to community…