Transforming Communities to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: A Primary Prevention Approach

The following pages lay out a primary prevention approach with a special focus on effecting change by influencing policies and altering organizational practices.We begin with a short discussion of emerging environmental challenges followed by an examination of specific norms that contribute to child sexual abuse and exploitation. The third section, grounded in the belief that a single individual or sector cannot address the problem in isolation, provides the framework for a comprehensive strategy across the Spectrum of Prevention (see Figure 2, page 8) designed to transform environments so all children can thrive in safe and supportive communities.