A Study on the Effects of a prevention Program to Improve Preschool Children’s Knowledge Pertaining to the Difference between Good and Bad Secrets related to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)

Abstract

Child sexual abuse is a significant problem that is experienced universally regardless of culture, ethnicity, and social class. Among all age groups of children, young children are at greater risk of being victims of sexual abuse because of their lack of knowledge of danger and self-protection. Previous studies worldwide have used child sexual abuse awareness programs for young children and proved those programs are very effective for raising young children’s awareness of child sexual abuse. The current study attempts to explore the effectiveness of those programs for Sri Lankan preschool-aged children, hence there were very limited studies conducted with that age group. This is a quantitative study conducted with 104 participants chosen from a convenient method of sampling located in the Matara District of the Southern Province, Sri Lanka to explore children’s awareness of good and bad secrets in the context of child sexual abuse. Data was gathered using sentences with child-friendly rating scales in the pre-test and post-test. The analysis used paired sample t-tests and mean comparisons and found that awareness programs on “child sexual abuse prevention” can significantly improve preschool children’s awareness of prevention from child sexual abuse and significantly improve their knowledge of the difference between good and bad secrets. The findings of the study can strengthen children, family, community, and government-based child protection mechanisms and interventions.