Knowledge of Secondary School Teachers on Factors that Promote and Hinder the Early Detection and Prevention of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Introduction: School teachers have an important role in the early detection and prevention of children from being sexually abused and exploited. The aim of this study was to assess the factors that influence the early detection and prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA) among schoolteachers in Babcock University High School, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State. Method: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 53 permanent teachers selected from the database of the school’s registry. This cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2021. Multistage cluster sampling technique was employed to obtain study participants from a list of sampling frames collated from the registry. Data collected was analyzed electronically using SPSS version 23. Frequency and percentage tables were generated for the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Statistical significance for association was tested using chi-square with a p-value less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: 98.1% of the respondents had good knowledge concerning child sexual abuse. We found a significant relationship between factors influencing and hindering the early detection of CSA among schoolteachers (r = 0.731, p = 0.003). Also, there was a significant association between these influencing factors that encouraged early detection and level of knowledge about CSA of teachers (p = 0.001, X2 = 23.463). Conclusion: CSA remains a problem in our schools and indeed in the wider society. Teachers should be equipped with tools and knowledge to identify signs of sexual abuse. There should be proper, discrete reporting channels in schools to ensure that students who are victims of abuse are protected and properly safeguarded.