Research Article
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Increasing self-protection skills of children staying in women's shelters with body safety training: a child sexual abuse prevention study

Year 2023, Volume: 9 Issue: 6 - November 2023, 1411 - 1419, 04.11.2023
https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1245681

Abstract

Objectives: Child sexual abuse is a risk for children living in a happy family environment, as well as for children under state protection who have problems in achieving family unity.

Methods: The study was conducted with 17 children between 3-7 years of age staying at women’s shelters with their mothers and aimed to improve their sexual abuse recognition and self-protection skills. 7 children identified as experimental group were provided with the Body Safety Training program and the effect of the training was evaluated with the “What If” Situation Test. The test results in the experimental group were compared with 10 children in the control group and the test was repeated three weeks later in order to determine the persistance of the training.

Results: The data obtained were evaluated by non-parametric analysis and Kruskal Wallis, Wilcoxon-signed Rank Test were used in addition to Mann Whitney U tests to determine the difference between the groups. As a result of the research, “What If” Situation Test sub-dimension mean scores showed an increase in favor of the post-test in the experimental group, but no significant increase was observed in the control group.

Conclusions: This difference observed in the experimental group shows that the Body Safety Training program is an effective program to increase self-protection skills for preventing sexual abuse in children.

Thanks

Authors thanks to the children and their parents who participated in the study, providing the essential research data.

References

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  • 2. Pereda N, Guilera G, Forns M, Gómez-Benito J. The prevalence of child sexual abuse in community and student samples: a meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 2009;29:328-38.
  • 3. Krug EG, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R.. World Report on Violence and Health. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2002.
  • 4. Martin EK, Silverstone PH. How much child sexual abuse is "below the surface" and can we help adults identify it early. Front Psychiatry 2013;4:58.
  • 5. Polat O. Çocuk İstismarı Önleme ve Rehabilitasyon. [Child Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation]. İstanbul: Seçkin Kitap, 2007.
  • 6. Gibson LE, Leitenberg HChild sexual abuse prevention programs: Do they decrease the occurrence of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse Neglect 2000;24:1115-1125.
  • 7. Yolcuoglu IG. [Overall evaluation of the child protection system in Turkey]. Sosyal Politika Çalışmaları Dergisi 2009;5:43-57. [Article in Turkish]
  • 8. Karatas S, Sener U, Otaran N. Women’s shelters guide. Prime Ministry of Turkey. Directorate General of Women Status, 2008.
  • 9. Sallan GS, Alican A.The forgotten part of the fight against domestic violence shelters and shelters in Turkey: Children. International Symposium on Violence Against Women and Children. Ankara: 2012;630-642.
  • 10. Bayındır N. [The impact on children of violonce in family lived]. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi 2010;2:1-9. [Article in Turkish]
  • 11. Citak Tunc G, Gorak G, Ozyazicioglu N, Ak B, Isil O, Vural P. Preventing child sexual abuse: body safety training for young children in Turkey. J Child Sex Abuse 2018;27:347-64.
  • 12. Wurtele SK. Teaching young children personal body safety: The body safety training workbook. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Department of Psychology. 2007. https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/body-safety-training-workbook/detailed
  • 13. Citak Tunc G, Gorak G, Ozyazicioglu, N, Ak B, Isil O, Vural P. Determining the appropriateness of the “what if” situations test (WIST) with Turkish pre-schoolers. J Child Sex Abuse 2018;27:292-304.
  • 14. Citak Tunc, G. Kendi Bedenimin Patronuyum. [I’m The Boss of my Body.] Bursa, Detay Matbaacılık; 2016.
  • 15. Wurtele SK, Hughes J, Owens J. An examination of the reliability of the “what if” situations test: a brief report. J Sex Abuse 1998;7:41-52.
  • 16. Kenny MC, Wurtele SK, Alanso L. Evaluation of personal safety program with latino preschoolers. J Child Sex Abuse 2012;4:368-85.
  • 17. Wurtele SK, Owens SJ. Teaching personal safety to young children: an investigation of age and gender across five studies. Child Abuse Negl 1997;21:805-14.
  • 18. Tutty L. Child sexual abuse prevention programs: evaluating who do you tell. Child Abuse Negl 1997;21:869-81.
  • 19. Zhang W, Chen J, Feng Y, Li J, Liu C, Zhao X. Evaluation of sexual abuse prevention education for chinese preschoolers. Res Soc Work Pract 2014;24:428-36.
  • 20-Schaaf KK, McMcanne TR. Relationship of childhood sexual, physical, and combined sexual and physical abuse to adult victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder. Child Abuse Negl 1998;22:1119-33.
Year 2023, Volume: 9 Issue: 6 - November 2023, 1411 - 1419, 04.11.2023
https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1245681

Abstract

References

  • 1. Martyniuk H, Dworkin E. Child sexual abuse prevention: Programs for children. Enola, PA: National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2011. https://vawnet.org/material/child-sexual-abuse-prevention-programs-children
  • 2. Pereda N, Guilera G, Forns M, Gómez-Benito J. The prevalence of child sexual abuse in community and student samples: a meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 2009;29:328-38.
  • 3. Krug EG, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R.. World Report on Violence and Health. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2002.
  • 4. Martin EK, Silverstone PH. How much child sexual abuse is "below the surface" and can we help adults identify it early. Front Psychiatry 2013;4:58.
  • 5. Polat O. Çocuk İstismarı Önleme ve Rehabilitasyon. [Child Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation]. İstanbul: Seçkin Kitap, 2007.
  • 6. Gibson LE, Leitenberg HChild sexual abuse prevention programs: Do they decrease the occurrence of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse Neglect 2000;24:1115-1125.
  • 7. Yolcuoglu IG. [Overall evaluation of the child protection system in Turkey]. Sosyal Politika Çalışmaları Dergisi 2009;5:43-57. [Article in Turkish]
  • 8. Karatas S, Sener U, Otaran N. Women’s shelters guide. Prime Ministry of Turkey. Directorate General of Women Status, 2008.
  • 9. Sallan GS, Alican A.The forgotten part of the fight against domestic violence shelters and shelters in Turkey: Children. International Symposium on Violence Against Women and Children. Ankara: 2012;630-642.
  • 10. Bayındır N. [The impact on children of violonce in family lived]. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi 2010;2:1-9. [Article in Turkish]
  • 11. Citak Tunc G, Gorak G, Ozyazicioglu N, Ak B, Isil O, Vural P. Preventing child sexual abuse: body safety training for young children in Turkey. J Child Sex Abuse 2018;27:347-64.
  • 12. Wurtele SK. Teaching young children personal body safety: The body safety training workbook. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Department of Psychology. 2007. https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/body-safety-training-workbook/detailed
  • 13. Citak Tunc G, Gorak G, Ozyazicioglu, N, Ak B, Isil O, Vural P. Determining the appropriateness of the “what if” situations test (WIST) with Turkish pre-schoolers. J Child Sex Abuse 2018;27:292-304.
  • 14. Citak Tunc, G. Kendi Bedenimin Patronuyum. [I’m The Boss of my Body.] Bursa, Detay Matbaacılık; 2016.
  • 15. Wurtele SK, Hughes J, Owens J. An examination of the reliability of the “what if” situations test: a brief report. J Sex Abuse 1998;7:41-52.
  • 16. Kenny MC, Wurtele SK, Alanso L. Evaluation of personal safety program with latino preschoolers. J Child Sex Abuse 2012;4:368-85.
  • 17. Wurtele SK, Owens SJ. Teaching personal safety to young children: an investigation of age and gender across five studies. Child Abuse Negl 1997;21:805-14.
  • 18. Tutty L. Child sexual abuse prevention programs: evaluating who do you tell. Child Abuse Negl 1997;21:869-81.
  • 19. Zhang W, Chen J, Feng Y, Li J, Liu C, Zhao X. Evaluation of sexual abuse prevention education for chinese preschoolers. Res Soc Work Pract 2014;24:428-36.
  • 20-Schaaf KK, McMcanne TR. Relationship of childhood sexual, physical, and combined sexual and physical abuse to adult victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder. Child Abuse Negl 1998;22:1119-33.
There are 20 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Psychiatry
Journal Section Original Articles
Authors

Gülseren Çıtak-tunç 0000-0003-1329-1719

Dilek Eser 0000-0003-4537-4308

Fatma Kılınç 0000-0001-8372-5047

Early Pub Date May 29, 2023
Publication Date November 4, 2023
Submission Date February 1, 2023
Acceptance Date April 1, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 9 Issue: 6 - November 2023

Cite

AMA Çıtak-tunç G, Eser D, Kılınç F. Increasing self-protection skills of children staying in women’s shelters with body safety training: a child sexual abuse prevention study. Eur Res J. November 2023;9(6):1411-1419. doi:10.18621/eurj.1245681

e-ISSN: 2149-3189 


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