In partnership with the Institute of Child Protection Studies, the SVRPU team identified and evaluated a range of contextual (environmental and situational) prevention strategies implemented in not-for-profit youth-serving organisations to safeguard children from sexual abuse. Contextual prevention strategies augment already existing prevention strategies focused on identifying individuals at-risk of or engaging is sexually abusive behaviour by examining the physical environment and routine activities of the organisation, and its policies and culture. Tailored strategies can be used to promote safety and address risks that vary from context to context, such as extended guardianship programs and the redesign of physical spaces to maximise supervision.

Impact

Findings from this project were disseminated to partnering organisations with recommendations to enhance current prevention efforts as leaders in child-safe organisational practices. Learnings (and practice resources) were also disseminated via an online practice symposium, bringing together fellow researchers, policy professionals and practitioners around the globe to engage in critical discussions about the importance of contextual strategies in preventing child sexual abuse to inform policy and strengthen child-safe organisational practices across the sector.

Links to the symposium recording (and presenter notes) and practice resource can be found below:

• Recording of symposium (YouTube)
• Contextual prevention: Going beyond individual prevention (PDF 1.6MB) (practice resource handout)
• Symposium presentation notes (PDF 5.5MB)

Publication

Rayment-McHugh, S., McKillop, N., Adams, D., Higgins, D. J., Russell, D. H. (2024). Context matters: Conceptualising and operationalising the contextual prevention of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse Review. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/car.2859