Child sexual abuse primary prevention: What we need to know to stop the hidden epidemics
Alberto Pellai
Milano State University, School of Medicine
Alberto Pellai is a MD with a specialisation in Preventive Medicine and a PhD in Public Health. He is also a child psychotherapist. He works as a researcher in public health at the Medical School of Milano State University and as a psychotherapist in private practice. He has created the child sexual abuse prevention programme named "Le parole non dette" which is the most known and popular prevention programme for school-based child sexual abuse primary prevention in Italy. This programme has been adopted by ASPI in Switzerland as the official prevention programme targeting primary schools and, thanks to the EU Daphne project, has been replicated in four different European countries in the past two years. Dr. Pellai has authored many scientific papers and books for teachers, parents and children. In 2004, the Italian Ministry of Health awarded him with the Silver Medal for Public Health for his unique and innovative contribution to the field of primary prevention.
Abstract
Sexual abuse is a problem impacting the psychosocial development of many children all over the world. There are still many controversies around how to define sexual abuse against children due to cultural and political issues.... [ view full abstract ]
Sexual abuse is a problem impacting the psychosocial development of many children all over the world. There are still many controversies around how to define sexual abuse against children due to cultural and political issues. To date we are still lacking a consistent and universally recognized definition of sexual abuse in the literature. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that sexual abuse is spread across all demographic, ethnic and family groups, in both males and females, and perpetrators can include those outside the family as well as within it . In the last decade the whole new phenomenon of Internet based sexual offending against minors has brought new challenges for those working both in the clinical and prevention field. In an global world, most of the victims of child sexual abuse still remain silent, alone and do not get help. At the same time, most children and teens do not receive the basic sexual education, prevention information and life skills that they need to grow up healthy, safe and happy. And after promoting programmes targeting children, there is growing evidence that also perpetrators need to become a target for prevention. If they are detected, recognized and helped at an early stage of their abusing career, control recovery and extinguishment of their sexual drives toward children can be promoted effectively and with positive long term effects.
What can we do to decrease the victimization risk of new generations? Are the digital natives more protected or more at risk for child sexual abuse? What should parents and teachers know and do to promote the prevention we are in need nowadays? What can we learn from the latest advances in the fields of psychology, pedagogy, and neurosciences to create and develop better programmes to prevent child sexual abuse? These and other issues will be faced and challenged during the plenary run by Alberto Pellai.
Session
KN6 » Keynote Session (11:00 - Wednesday, 18th September, Landsdowne )
