Evaluation of a Sexual Abuse Prevention Workshop in a Multicultural, Impoverished Urban Area

• NCJ Number: 241961
• Journal: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 21 Issue: 5 Dated: September - October 2012 Pages: 521-542
• Author(s): Isabelle Daigneault; Martine Hebert; Pierre McDuff; Jean-Yves Frappier
• Date Published: October 2012
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines a sexual abuse prevention workshop for elementary school age children in Canada.

Abstract

Participants in the ESPACE sexual abuse prevention workshop were in grades one through four and attended three Montreal, Canada, public schools in low socioeconomic areas. The sample was culturally diverse, with half born outside of Canada. An evaluation was conducted to explore the effects associated with participating in the workshop and the effects of booster sessions conducted 2 years later. Outcomes included knowledge gained, the ability to offer behavioral responses to abusive situations, peer victimization, sense of safety, empathy, self-efficacy, and support. Results revealed that participants in this sample obtained low scores on measures of sexual abuse knowledge and that short booster sessions that elicit children's recall of the learned material might produce greater improvements. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.