Abstract:
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a public health problem of considerable
magnitude. The prevailing primary prevention strategies are universal,
school-based CSA prevention programs, some of which have been
designated as evidence-based, such as Safe Touches. However, to reach
their public health impact potential, effective universal school-based CSA
prevention programs require effective and efficient dissemination and
implementation strategies. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate
the reach and effectiveness of a school-based CSA prevention curriculum,
Safe Touches, when implemented on a wide scale. Using a longitudinal cohort
design, children in second grade classrooms in public elementary schools in
five counties received the Safe Touches workshop and completed surveys
designed to assess gains in knowledge at four timepoints (one week prior, immediately post-workshop, 6- and 12-months post-workshop). In total, the
Safe Touches workshop was delivered in 718 classrooms in 92% of school
districts, reaching ~14,235 second graders. Multilevel models (n=3,673)
revealed that Safe Touches significantly increased CSA-related knowledge,
and that these gains were maintained 12-months post-workshop (ps<.001).
There were some small but significant time-varying effects among participants
in schools with a greater percentage of low income and minority students,
but these effects largely disappeared 12-months post workshop. This study
demonstrates that a single-session, universal school-based CSA prevention
program can effectively increase children’s knowledge when implemented
and disseminated on a wide scale and knowledge gains can be retained
12-months post intervention.