Situational Factors of Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Certain aspects of child sexual abuse are well studied in Russia and elsewhere. These are, in particular, risk factor studies focused on the characteristics of children who have been victims of sexual abuse as well as those who have committed sexual abuse against children. Researchers pay insufficient attention to the situational factors under the influence of which the crime became possible. These include the parameters of the physical and social environment in which the child was at the time or during the commission of abuse, the characteristics of the offender that determined his or her access to the child, and situations in which monitoring of children’s safety was insufficient. Prevention strategies should include educating and informing parents, guardians, and children about the risks of violence, creating a safe environment for children in children’s organisations, and developing organisational measures focused on policies, practices, and strategies that can reduce the vulnerability of children and adolescents and enable all adults to play an active role in their protection.