Parents’ and Children’s Knowledge of and Attitudes Towards Child Sexual Abuse: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This paper investigated parents’ and children’s knowledge of and attitudes towards child sexual abuse and\ridentified potential risk factors. Material and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between February\rand June 2021. The sample consisted of parents (n=255) and their\rchildren (n=255) aged 8-11 studying at three primary schools. Data\rwere collected using a Parent and Child Sociodemographic Information Form, the Child Sexual Abuse Knowledge/Attitude Scale for Parents, and the Child Sexual Abuse Information Form. Data were\ranalyzed using SPSS 24 program “number, mean, percent, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)” tests.\rResults: Parents had a mean Child Sexual Abuse Knowledge/Attitude Scale for Parents score of 137.66±18.40. There was a significant\rdifference between Child Sexual Abuse Knowledge/Attitude Scale\rfor Parents scores and education (p=0.034), prior knowledge of child\rsexual abuse (p=0.023), and education on sexual abuse to their children (p=0.000). More than half the parents (55.9%) stated that they\rwere scared about giving their children education on sexual abuse because they thought it might confuse them. More than a quarter of the\rchildren (36.9%) reported not knowing appropriate and inappropriate touch. News on child sexual abuse scared (46.6%) or made children feel bad (23.3%). Conclusion: Parents had a below-average\rknowledge of and attitudes towards child sexual abuse. Almost half\rthe children did not know about appropriate and inappropriate touch\rand were afraid of sexual abuse.