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The State of the State: Childhood Sexual Abuse Prevention Efforts in North Carolina

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a public health problem. Yet there have been limited efforts to reduce CSA using a public health approach focused on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. This article presents the results of a survey aimed at understanding the knowledge and perceptions of CSA prevention efforts of general citizens, survivors of CSA, family members of survivors, and professionals who work in fields related to CSA (n = 384) in one state. Using a snowball sampling method to reach as many individuals as possible across North Carolina, this study surveyed professionals who work in a field related to CSA and general citizens about their perceptions about the prevention of CSA. Univariate analyses were conducted to describe the participants’ (n = 384) responses to the survey. The results indicate that participants report limited knowledge of community efforts to prevent CSA. While there were similarities among the groups regarding their knowledge and perceptions of CSA prevention, group differences emerged. Specifically, there were surprising differences between the professionals’ knowledge and/or perceptions compared to general citizens or to those individuals who had personal experiences with CSA. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.