Professionals’ understandings of and attitudes to the prevention of sexual abuse: An international exploratory study

McCartan, Kieran; Uzieblo, Kasia; Smid, Wineke J.

Abstract

Sexual abuse is a global issue and, therefore, responding to and preventing sexual abuse are global challenges. Although we have examples of and evidence for sexual abuse prevention initiatives internationally, these tend to come from a small, select group of countries (i.e., United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Australia) and not from a broader global pool. This article will present the qualitative data from an online study (n = 82), covering 17 countries, on professionals’ (i.e., people working in the arena of sexual offending from a clinical, criminal justice, policy, research, and/or practice perspective) perceptions sexual abuse prevention in theory, practice, and policy. The article identifies three main themes: (a) professionals’ understandings of the prevention of sexual abuse, (b) public understanding of sexual abuse prevention, and (c) governmental attitudes towards, and support of, sexual abuse prevention programs. The article highlights that, although there are similar understandings of sexual abuse prevention internationally, practice is characterised by national differences in the funding of, provision of, and public/policy perceptions of prevention as well as its impact on offending.

Citation

McCartan, K., Uzieblo, K., & Smid, W. J. (2021). Professionals’ understandings of and attitudes to the prevention of sexual abuse: An international exploratory study. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 65(8), 815-831. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624x20919706

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 17, 2020
• Online Publication Date: May 23, 2020
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jun 3, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 7, 2021
• Journal: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
• Print ISSN: 0306-624X
• Electronic ISSN: 1552-6933
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 65
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 815-831
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624x20919706
• Keywords: Applied Psychology; Pathology and Forensic Medicine; Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5998993