Citation

Lloyd J. Child Abuse Negl. 2019; 94: e104037.

Affiliation

University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, United Kingdom. Electronic address: jenny.lloyd@beds.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104037

PMID

31202038

Abstract

Internationally young people report experiencing sexual abuse and violence within schools. Developments within the field of adolescent sexual harm are increasingly recognising the need for ecological approaches to harm. Yet, to date, interventions with young people displaying harmful sexual behaviours have prioritised individual behaviours and characteristics over place-based interventions. This article presents empirical evidence from a mixed-methods study aimed at understanding the enablers and barriers to preventing and responding to harmful sexual behaviour in schools. Research was carried out in seven schools and four multi-agency partnerships in England, UK. Using evidence from focus groups, observations, case reviews and policy analysis the article outlines nine components that enable, or are barriers to, effective responses and interventions into harmful sexual behaviour in schools. The paper concludes that responses and interventions into harmful sexual behaviour must move beyond responding to individual behaviours to intervening within factors within schools themselves.

Crown Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescents; Contextual safeguarding; Harmful sexual behaviour; Schools; Sexual abuse; Whole-school