Professionals’ Understandings of and Attitudes to the Prevention of Sexual Abuse: An International Exploratory Study

• Author: Kieran McCartan,Wineke J. Smid,Kasia Uzieblo
• Published date: 01 June 2021
• Date: 01 June 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X20919706
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X20919706

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2021, Vol. 65(8) 815 –831

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20919706

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Article

Professionals’ Understandings

of and Attitudes to the

Prevention of Sexual Abuse:

An International Exploratory

Study

Kieran McCartan1, Kasia Uzieblo2,3,4,

and Wineke J. Smid2

Abstract

Sexual abuse is a global issue and, therefore, responding to and preventing sexual

abuse are global challenges. Although we have examples of and evidence for sexual

abuse prevention initiatives internationally, these tend to come from a small,

select group of countries (i.e., United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Germany,

Netherlands, New Zealand, and Australia) and not from a broader global pool. This

article will present the qualitative data from an online study (n = 82), covering 17

countries, on professionals’ (i.e., people working in the arena of sexual offending from

a clinical, criminal justice, policy, research, and/or practice perspective) perceptions

sexual abuse prevention in theory, practice, and policy. The article identifies three

main themes: (a) professionals’ understandings of the prevention of sexual abuse,

(b) public understanding of sexual abuse prevention, and (c) governmental attitudes

towards, and support of, sexual abuse prevention programs. The article highlights that,

although there are similar understandings of sexual abuse prevention internationally,

practice is characterised by national differences in the funding of, provision of, and

public/policy perceptions of prevention as well as its impact on offending.

1University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

2Forensic Care Specialists, Utrecht, The Netherlands

3Ghent University, Belgium

4Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium

Corresponding Author:

Kieran McCartan, Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England,

Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1DD, UK.

Email: kieran.mccartan@uwe.ac.uk

919706IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X20919706International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative CriminologyMcCartan et al.

research-article2020

816 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 65(8)

Keywords

international, public health, sexual abuse, prevention, intervention

In the last few decades, there has been a growing recognition of the depth and extent

of sexual violence globally (National Sexual Harm Resource Centre, 2015; United

Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF], 2014). This increased global sociopolitical rec-

ognition of sexual abuse corresponds to several interrelated factors, including increased

investment in sexual violence education, increased reporting of historical cases, and a

growing recognition that anyone can be a victim of sexual abuse which is, in part, seen

as a consequence of the #METOO movement. In the last decade, in particular, we have

seen a rise in the reporting of sexual abuse, current and historical, linked to institu-

tions, sports clubs, charities, college campuses, and the church (Australian Human

Rights Commission, 2017; Tabachnick et al., 2016; Vertommen et al., 2018), and an

increased media profile of sexual violence (Harper & Hogue, 2017). However, sexual

violence reporting and conviction rates vary widely between and within countries,

dependent on the size, culture, and economic status of the country which makes deter-

mining a global prevalence rate difficult (UNICEF, 2014; World Health Organization

[WHO], 2014; see special edition of Sex Offender Treatment, McCartan, 2018, for a

broader international perspective). Nevertheless, research indicates that 13% of chil-

dren worldwide are victims of sexual abuse and that prevalence is higher for girls

(18%) compared with boys (8%) (Stoltenborgh et al., 2011) and that abuse is more

likely to be committed by a partner (30%) as opposed to a nonpartner (7%) (WHO,

2014). The consequences of sexual abuse are the same internationally, including phys-

ical, mental, reproductive, and sexual health lifelong impacts (Felitti & Anda, 2009;

Vertommen et al., 2018), but victim’s experiences of access to services and ability to

recovery can vary within and between countries. One of the challenges in reporting,

recording, and responding to sexual violence, or abuse, is often times difficult to define

as it can mean a range of behaviours and thought patterns which may or may not be

illegal, which may or may not include a contact offence or a knowing victim and

which may or may not be considered a psychological, social, or interpersonal issue.

Despite knowing of these international variations there has been limited international

and transnational comparative research relating to the prevention of and responses to

sexual violence (Krahé, 2018; Krahé et al., 2014; Ma, 2018; Stoltenborgh et al., 2011),

which is something that the field needs to address given the relevant interconnection

of research, practice, and policy. For the purposes of this article we are considering

sexual violence to mean any behaviour or action that results in a criminal offence, and

therefore the prevention of sexual violence or abuse is anything that would stop a

sexual offence from (re-)occurring.

Historically, most of the published research on the perpetration of sexual abuse

relates to the management of people convicted of a sexual offence, their treatment,

rehabilitation, punishment, and community management with reducing recidivism

being the main driver (see Laws & O’Donoghue, 2016 for a broader discussion).