Comprehensive Sexuality Education as Primary Prevention for Childhood Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse affects 1 in 6 boys, and 1 in 4 girls under the age of 18.  Traditional primary prevention of sexual abuse has focused on short-format educational programs about “good touch/bad touch,” “stranger danger,” and notifying an adult; yet the prevalence of sexual abuse in children remains relatively unchanged.  Research on perpetrators of sexual abuse indicates that offenders deliberately look for and choose vulnerable children.  Some research, and anecdotal evidence from professionals in this field, suggests that perpetrators seek children who are naïve about their bodies, and under-educated about sexuality.  Comprehensive sexuality education, as opposed to abstinence based sex education, is associated with decreased teen pregnancy rates, increased condom and contraceptive use, and delayed onset of sexual debut.  Comprehensive sex education is typically delivered over several months or years, creating a culture and space for ongoing delivery of information to youth about their bodies and sexuality.  It seems possible that comprehensive sex education would also be effective primary prevention for sexual abuse, as participants would presumably be less naïve, and better informed about sexuality in general, making them less appealing as victims to perpetrators.  However, the potential link between comprehensive sex education and reduction in sexual abuse has not been fully explored in the literature.  This systematic review of the research on comprehensive sexuality education as primary prevention of childhood sexual abuse was conducted using four databases (PubMed, PsychInfo,ERIC and CINAHL) .  In-depth analysis of the findings are explored and summarized, and directions for future research are suggested.