Juliette D. G. Goldman

Some methodological problems in estimating incidence and prevalence in child sexual abuse research

Research into child sexual abuse is fraught with methodological problems. This paper provides an overview of some common aspects of them. Definitional inconsistencies are frequent, including that of child sexual abuse itself and what age limits define a child. Other methodological difficulties include determining the number of children sexually abused in any period of time, choice of sample, the type and number of questions asked, factors such as publicity associated with the historical period, and estimates of the rate of increase of child sexual abuse over time. It is suggested that greater consistency, particularly of definition, would assist comparative conclusions to be made with less ambiguity and greater validity.

Responding to parental objections to school sexuality education: a selection of 12 objections

Sexuality education for school‐aged young people is a crucial component of all quality education systems. It prepares young people for participation in society as responsible, mature and community‐minded citizens. Most contemporary school education curricula generally aim to enhance young peoples knowledge, skills and understandings of the world, and of their rights as human beings and citizens of nations. The current sexuality problems of many young people are the opposite of these; namely, ignorance, lack of skills, misunderstandings, and loss of rights, as well as unnecessary fear and shame about themselves and others. Many young people do not receive any sexuality education at all, and frequently parents have been found to be unsatisfactory providers of sexuality education for their offspring. Schools, then, become the logical place to provide this. Nowadays, the earlier maturing of girls and boys provides a further persuasive argument for quality sexuality education in all schools. The absence or erosion of school‐based sexuality education through ignorance, fear or unreasoned response helps support ignorance about sexual behaviours, increased rates of unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and the cruel loss of life opportunities for young people. The present paper responds to 12 parental objections to school sexuality education, by providing research facts and evidence‐based reasoned arguments to them.

Sexuality Education across the Lifecycle in the New Millennium

Everyone has the right to sexuality education. In the past, mainly in Western countries, this has been provided by parents and some schools, usually as formal programmes. However, many people receive sexuality education informally from other sources, such as peers, television, magazines and books. The technological age upon us now in the new millennium provides yet another source for everyone. The Internet has a growing number of sites specifically for sexuality education for all ages. Here, a selection of relevant sites are identified and presented for their developmental appropriateness. For the first time in history, sexuality education will be potentially accessible by everyone over the Internet, which is technology-derived, personal, instantaneous, on demand, accessible any time and any place, not controlled by social or educational structures, inexpensive and individualised. The opportunities this promotes are almost limitless for enhanced personal understanding and improved interpersonal relationships of all kinds for everyone on the globe.

Australian Undergraduate Primary School Student-Teachers' Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and Its Mandatory Reporting.

This study aims to understand how primary school teachers, as mandatory reporters of child sexual abuse, are responding to child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting, even though many teachers do not receive a compulsory course in Child Protection and its legal requirements in their pre‐service university training. A cohort of 81 Australian final fourth‐year Bachelor of Education (Primary) student‐teachers was asked about four aspects of it. Qualitative data gathered from these student‐teachers’ questionnaires provide important insights into their knowledge of child sexual abuse; their knowledge of Department of Education policy on it; their professional competence in mandatory reporting of it; and their recommended educational and professional training in it. The results show that all of these student‐teachers feel inadequately prepared to address child sexual abuse and mandatory reporting in schools, being unaware of both knowledge of it and the Department’s policy, even though many recognise the gravity of sexual abuse for the child survivor and the need, and seriousness, of child protection. Finally, these student‐teachers all want better training about these issues during their four‐year degree. In conclusion, these results, and some recommendations, may provide a guide for curriculum planners to design compulsory and appropriate pre‐service university courses to enhance student‐teachers’ knowledge, skills and competencies about child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting.

Sexuality education for young people: a theoretically integrated approach from Australia

Background: Teachers of sexuality education can often be uncertain about what theoretical basis and pedagogical strategies to use in their teaching. Sexuality educational programmes designed by teachers can often show few evident theoretical principles that have been applied in its construction. Thus, there seems to be a dearth of evidence of ways in which teachers can use appropriate theoretical foundations in their planning and teaching in sexuality education. Purpose: This paper aims to suggest a way of providing such an appropriate theoretical framework for sexuality education teachers of young people aged 7–15 years of age. Analysis: Age-appropriate primary and middle school pedagogies based on two integrated educational theories, namely Anderson and Krathwohls theoretical framework of learning and teaching, with Verbal Linguistic Intelligence from Gardners Multiple Intelligences, were analysed and evaluated. Key considerations were the earlier maturing of girls and boys, findings from relevant literature about children and young peoples cognitive capacities, as well as the relevance of curriculum content for upper primary and middle school students, and the concomitant need for better and earlier sexuality education. Conclusion: This approach, integrating Anderson and Krathwohls theoretical framework of learning and teaching, with Gardners Multiple Verbal Linguistic Intelligence, may be useful to assist health and sexuality education teachers in identifying and anchoring pedagogies in a more theoretically structured manner, thereby enhancing the quality of their sexuality education planning and teaching.

Child sexual abuse and mandatory reporting intervention preservice content preferred by student teachers.

The importance of preservice university teacher training about child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting intervention is addressed in educational literature, although very little is known about student teachers’ learning interests and preferences in this area. In this article, student teachers refer to students in university who are training to become teachers whose training includes teaching experiences in schools. This study examines the content about child sexual abuse and its intervention that student teachers believe they should learn. Results based on quantitative analyses show the relative importance of gender in determining responses to questions about university training and, to a lesser extent, the importance of a previous acquaintance with victims of sexual abuse, previous employment, and the length of the university course. Results based on qualitative data show that content knowledge preferred by elementary/primary and secondary school student teachers includes the teachers role in mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse and signs, experiences, and responses to student disclosure. Student teachers prefer content examples of school professionals’ responses and procedures after disclosure and prefer direct learning content from intervening school professionals. These outcomes could usefully guide teachers and educators who design intervention curricula on child sexual abuse for preservice teachers.

Sources of Knowledge of Departmental Policy on Child Sexual Abuse and Mandatory Reporting Identified by Primary School Student-Teachers.

The introduction of a Department of Education policy on child sexual abuse and mandatory reporting is significant for school teachers. The mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse by school teachers carries wide‐ranging and significant implications for the lives of school‐aged children, and for the teachers who must implement the policy’s requirements, processes and procedures. There is very little literature on student‐teachers’ pre‐service knowledge about such a mandate. Most student‐teachers do not receive compulsory university training in Child Protection and its legal requirements. This study audits an Australian cohort of 56 Bachelor of Education (BEd) primary school student‐teachers in their final fourth year, on the sources of the professional knowledge they garnered during those four years concerning the Department of Education’s policy on child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting. The results show that such sources of knowledge that were available to student‐teachers during their BEd were incidental, sparse and sporadic. These results are cause for concern; however, they may be used to help educators and curriculum planners design effective, appropriate and compulsory pre‐service training for student‐teachers.

Education about Child Sexual Abuse on Interactive Multimedia CD-Rom for Undergraduate Teachers

In many countries, one aspect of health education, namely child sexual abuse, has become an important issue for teachers in pre-schools, primary schools and high schools to address. In Australia, many states now have mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse by teachers to their Principals then to the police or the Department of Families. Consequently, as preparation for this role, all teachers should have appropriate knowledge and attitudes about child sexual abuse. This paper analyses the educational bases of an interactive multimedia CD-Rom module on child sexual abuse designed for use by Australian university undergraduate teachers, to enhance their knowledge and attitudes about child sexual abuse. This application of Blooms Levels of Thinking Skills as well as Constructivist principles in designing educational multimedia may assist other educational curriculum developers when designing pedagogical interactivities that are appropriate, productive and relevant in teaching about child sexual abuse to undergraduate teachers.

International guidelines on sexuality education and their relevance to a contemporary curriculum for children aged 5–8 years

This paper evaluates UNESCOs recommended sexuality educational framework for junior school students aged 5–8 years. It also compares it to an existing state-designed Health and Physical Education curriculum that includes sexual and reproductive health for the same cohort. Based on the universal values of respect and human rights, UNESCOs International Technical Guidance (2009) promotes clear, comprehensive, and evidence-informed sexuality education in the compulsory school years, for all countries. Aimed at education and health decision-makers, the framework addresses knowledge, values and discussion of often-stifled issues that are appropriate for healthy child development, and necessary to counter childrens vulnerability to abuse, exploitation and sexually transmitted infections. Most importantly, it emphasises that children are not ready for sexual contact with other people. The results of this papers evaluation show that the Guidance offers timely, definitive, wide-ranging, inclusive and effective sexuality education for children who are usually left “to find their own way”. The comparative results show that the sampled Australian curriculum is woefully inadequate for the task of teaching puberty, sexuality and reproductive health and safety education.

School counsellors attitudes and beliefs about child sexual abuse

School counsellors are in a unique position to address child sexual abuse. However, little is known about their attitudes and beliefs on the issue. In order to examine these, all school counsellors in Queensland were sent a questionnaire to ascertain their attitudes and beliefs about child sexual abuse. Results show that the 122 school counsellors who responded, consisting of 52 males and 70 females, believe they have an important role in the detection of child sexual abuse. They believe they are the appropriate professionals to be part of programs aimed at preventing it. School counsellors strongly object to sexual activities between adults and children, and overwhelmingly believe that sexual relationships education should not be left to parents. Most school counsellors believe that children should help to legally prosecute adult perpetrators. Most school counsellors also believe that child sexual abuse is a moderate or serious problem in Australia, but is less prevalent in their local community than in the country as a whole.