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

在日本，有关虐待儿童的投诉和咨询数量每年都在增加，性虐待受害者尤其受到这类事件的严重影响。在大多数性虐待案件中，犯罪者和受害者是认识的，使受害者感到无助，内疚，卑鄙或对自己的性取向感到困惑。据报道，这些感觉和困惑可能会升级为有问题的行为。为了防止这种痛苦和伤害的多米诺骨牌效应，儿童需要从小就获得适当的性知识。这些知识可以帮助他们建立自尊，培养保护自身健康和防止自己成为性虐待受害者的能力。本研究在西宫市公共卫生中心的合作下，对居住在该地区的小学生及其父母开展了旨在防止虐待儿童的性教育项目，并对其效果进行了检验。该方案包括学习基本的性知识（关于男孩和女孩的性行为）、从排卵到受孕的过程、胎儿在子宫内的发育、分娩和模拟孕妇。在节目中，孩子们和他们的父母也讨论了父母在孩子出生时的感受。孩子们的信念的重要性，性教育和自尊的显着更高的完成后，立即与那些之前的程序相比。然而，在该项目实施六个月后进行的同样的评估显示，孩子们的信仰没有差异。这些研究结果表明，性教育计划是有益的，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.