“My Daughter is not like That”: A Qualitative Study of Parental Perception on Child Sexual Abuse Risk

Abstract

Introduction. Parental prevention efforts on child sexual abuse (CSA) are paramount for children to have better protection. However, parental awareness and beliefs are essential constituents influencing parental prevention efforts. Previous studies have revealed that parents tend to judge child sexual abuse as a low risk to their children, which in turn impacts CSA prevention activities. The aim of this study was to explore parental beliefs on the risk of CSA, specifically victim- and perpetrator-specific risk of child sexual abuse to their children, as well as parents’ approaches to protecting their children.Methodology and sources. Data were collected from 22 parents during focus group interviews (n=6) combined with activity-oriented questions.Results and discussion. Based on data, four perpetrator and two victim-specific risk profiles were created. When parents find similarities between their children and perceived victims or perpetrators, it triggers the defensive othering effect, which acts as a subconscious protection mechanism, yet often creates inaccurate risk assessment and false confidence. The findings also tender that most parents do not teach their children the necessary skills related to CSA since they determine the risk to be low.Conclusion. This study adds to our understanding of CSA-related risk perception and prevention approaches, offering a conceptual addition to the defensive attribution theory. Further investigation is needed on the impacts of the cognitive processes and psychological protection mechanisms in relation to CSA risk assessment. The data from this study will be useful in developing CSA prevention programs and materials.

Parent attitudes, comfort, and perceptions about dating violence: The moderating effect on son report of parent openness to communicate.

“…It is possible that parents in the study had a limited understanding of sensitive topics or felt that these conversations were not necessary. For example, they may believe they had already instilled strong values in their son related to appropriate dating behaviors without talking about DV directly (Simone, 2021). It is additionally possible that parents may have felt that they discussed DV, sex, and relationships with their sons, but that these discussions were not overt enough for their sons to report significant differences in open communication with their parents.…”

“…The absence of findings related to both the main and moderating effects of parental perceptions of adolescent engagement in DV on parent–adolescent communication was unexpected. Regarding the main effect of perceptions of DV and communication, prior research has demonstrated that parents are less likely to communicate with their sons about sensitive topics if they do not perceive their son would engage in problematic behaviors (Davis et al, 2021; Simone, 2021). In the current sample, a surprising 59% of parents endorsed perceptions that their adolescent was either a victim or perpetrator (31%) or both a victim and a perpetrator (28%) of DV.…”

“…In fact, two international qualitative studies found that parents did not engage their adolescent sons in conversations about pornography or sexual abuse perpetration with the explanations that their children would not engage in such behaviors (Davis et al, 2021; Simone, 2021). Parents in Simone’s study (2021) reasoned that their sons were “well-raised” and that sexual abuse perpetrator risk was related to “strangers” or people “different from themselves.” Similarly, most parents in Davis et al’s study (2021) indicated that their children (ages 10–16), regardless of their age or gender, were unlikely to have viewed porn, though they recognized that pornography use was normative among male adolescents. It may be that parental biases reflect a subconscious protection mechanism that results in false confidence and inaccurate risk assessment (Simone, 2021).…”

“…Parents in Simone’s study (2021) reasoned that their sons were “well-raised” and that sexual abuse perpetrator risk was related to “strangers” or people “different from themselves.” Similarly, most parents in Davis et al’s study (2021) indicated that their children (ages 10–16), regardless of their age or gender, were unlikely to have viewed porn, though they recognized that pornography use was normative among male adolescents. It may be that parental biases reflect a subconscious protection mechanism that results in false confidence and inaccurate risk assessment (Simone, 2021). These findings point to a potential moderating role of parent perceptions about early adolescent male involvement in DV and communication, which is the focus of the present study.…”

“…In fact, two international qualitative studies found that parents did not engage their adolescent sons in conversations about pornography or sexual abuse perpetration with the explanations that their children would not engage in such behaviors (Davis et al, 2021;Simone, 2021). Parents in Simone's study (2021) reasoned that their sons were "well-raised" and that sexual abuse perpetrator risk was related to "strangers" or people "different from themselves."…”