Transforming communities to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation: A primary prevention approach

While the health field has made the case for the detrimental effects of child sexual abuse and exploitation, the responses to the problem have largely focused on aftermath actions such as incarceration and individual protection. Preventing child sexual abuse requires a shift of focus from individuals to environments and from fear to wellness – a public health approach. Via key informant interviews and a national, in-person convening, Prevention Institute facilitated a process that analyzed environmental factors and norms that perpetuate abuse and outlined policies and practices for transforming local communities and the national climate. Interviews were used to identify frameworks, collaborative models, and prevention strategies that could be used to support this shift. The convening brought local and national leaders together to review results of the interviews, cultivate investment in primary prevention strategies, and foster dialogue among diverse leaders. In addition to identifying ideas that would shift the broad discussion, attention was paid to distinct challenges and opportunities for prevention work in immigrant and other historically marginalized groups. The critical and frank dialog was summarized in a brief that details the approach, partners, and strategies participants found most promising. Tailored to the expertise of public health practitioners, participants in this session will have an opportunity to review five key norms that contribute to child sexual abuse, a primary prevention framework designed to shift those norms, potential strategies to be incorporated as part of a collaborative plan and lessons learned from a multi-sectoral convening process.