Development of a sex education program designed to prevent child abuse for elementary school children and their parents

在日本，关于虐待儿童的投诉和咨询的数量每年都在增加，特别是性虐待的受害者受到这类事件的严重影响。在大多数性侵案件中，施暴者和受害者都是熟人，这让受害者对自己的性取向感到无助、内疚、卑鄙或困惑。据报道，这些感觉和困惑会升级为有问题的行为。为了防止这种痛苦和多米诺骨牌效应的发生，儿童需要从很小的时候就获得适当的性知识。这方面的知识可以帮助她们培养自尊和保护自身健康的能力，并防止自己成为性虐待的受害者。在西宫市公共卫生中心的合作下，本研究开发并检查了一项性教育计划的效果，该计划旨在防止居住在该地区的小学生及其父母遭受虐待。该项目包括学习基本的性知识（关于男孩和女孩的性行为），从排卵到怀孕的过程，胎儿在子宫里的发育，分娩和模拟孕妇。在节目中，孩子们和他们的父母还讨论了孩子出生时父母的感受。与项目前相比，项目完成后，孩子们对性教育重要性和自尊的信念明显更高。然而，该项目六个月后进行的同样的评估显示，孩子们的信念没有差异。这些发现表明，性教育项目是有益的，应该定期进行。

The number of complaints of and consultations for child abuse has been increasing annually in Japan, and victims of sexual abuse, in particular, are seriously affected by such incidents. In most sexual abuse cases, perpetrators and victims are acquainted, making the victims feel helpless, guilty, despicable, or confused about their sexuality. It has been reported that these feelings and confusion can escalate into problematic behaviors. To prevent such suffering and a domino effect of damage from occurring, children need to acquire appropriate knowledge on sexuality from an early age. This knowledge can help them develop self-esteem and abilities to protect their own health and to prevent themselves from becoming victims of sexual abuse. With the cooperation of Nishinomiya City Public Health Center, this study developed and examined the effects of a sex education program designed to prevent child abuse for elementary school children and their parents residing in the area. The program included learning basic sexual knowledge(on boy's and girl's sexuality), the process from ovulation until conception, fetal development in the womb, childbirth, and simulation of a pregnant woman. During the program, the children and their parents also discussed the parents' feelings at the time of the children's birth. The children's beliefs in the importance of sex education and self-esteem were significantly higher immediately after completion of the program compared to those before the program. However, the same evaluation conducted six months after the program showed no differences in the children's beliefs. These findings suggest that the sex education program is beneficial and should be conducted at regular intervals.