Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Parents' Perceptions and Practices in Urban Nigeria

• Published in: Journal of child sexual abuse Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 695 - 707
• Main Authors: Ige, Olusimbo K., Fawole, Olufunmilayo I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.11.2011; Routledge; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude to Health; Caregivers; Child; Child Abuse; Child abuse & neglect; Child Abuse, Sexual - prevention & control; Child Abuse, Sexual - statistics & numerical data; Child Sexual Abuse; Child Welfare - statistics & numerical data; Child, Preschool; Children; communication; Early Adolescents; Female; Foreign Countries; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Interpersonal Communication; Male; Middle Aged; misconception; Misconceptions; myth; Nigeria; Parent Attitudes; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-Child Relations; Parenting - psychology; Parenting Styles; Parents; Parents & parenting; Parents - psychology; Perceptions; Prevention; protection of children; Questionnaires; Rape - prevention & control; Risk Factors; Sex crimes; Sexual Abuse; Social Problems; Social Support; Surveys and Questionnaires; Threat; Urban Areas; Young Adult; Nigeria
• ISSN: 1053-8712; 1547-0679
• DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2011.627584

This study examined parents' perceptions of child sexual abuse as well as prevention practices in an urban community in southwest Nigeria. Questionnaires were collected from 387 parents and caregivers of children younger than 15 years of age. Results showed that many parents felt CSA was a common problem in the community, and most parents disagreed with common child sexual abuse myths. In addition, almost all parents ( >90%) reported communicating with their child(ren) about stranger danger. However, about 47% felt their children could not be abused, and over a quarter (27.1%) often left their children alone and unsupervised. There were no significant variations in the perceptions of child sexual abuse and communication practices. The implications of findings for child sexual abuse prevention are discussed.