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Perpetration Prevention: The Forgotten Frontier in Sexuality Education and Research

NCJ Number
199400
Journal
SIECUS Report Volume: 29 Issue: 1 Dated: October/November 2000 Pages: 28-34
Author(s)
Gail Ryan M.A.
Date Published
October 2000
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article discusses issues relevant to preventing children from becoming sexually abusive of other children.
Abstract
Although a lot of work has gone into helping the victims of child sexual abusive, relatively little research and effort has gone into the problem of preventing children from becoming sexually abusive toward other children. The author presents three types of child sexual abuse prevention: primary perpetrator prevention, secondary perpetrator prevention, and tertiary perpetrator prevention. Perpetration prevention may be defined as “reducing the risk of children being abusive across their life span.” In primary perpetration prevention, the general population of children is targeted for education regarding appropriate and inappropriate types of touch and sexuality. Secondary perpetration prevention identifies those youth who are at risk of becoming sexually abusive of other children. These youth are targeted for more intensive interventions. Tertiary perpetrator prevention targets youth who have already become sexually abusive to others. The author explains that these efforts to educate and prevent children from becoming sexually abusive has been a long-ignored, but crucially important issue in terms of keeping children safe from abuse. 48 References