Healthy sexuality in first graders: Sexual abuse prevention program

The problem of sexually abused children has significantly increased in Mexico during the last decades. According to some reports, the average age of victimized children is 5.7 years old. However, violence against children in specific regions like the United States-Mexico border has underscored the importance of examining the extent and efficacy of preventive initiatives on this phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to present the main results of a prevention program on sexual abuse in the City of Tijuana among six-year old children, focusing on sexual health issues. The targeted population of this program was four groups of first grade children at two public elementary schools. This program was organized into thirteen sessions and divided in three different themes (“My uniqueness,” “Children's rights,” and “Different ways to display affect”). Pre- and post- tests were applied. The responses show several differences among the different groups in regards to the extent of their curiosity and the acceptance of the theme. However, the global results show a more assertive response towards the acknowledgement of their sexuality in terms of their body's privacy, emotions, affections, ways to set limits with others, self-protection and to whom ask for help. We conclude that this kind of preventive programs among first graders is deeply needed in contexts like this, thus reducing the likelihood of sexual abuse on this and later stages of their development.