Child sexual abuse (CSA) is one of the most serious human rights violations in the world today. According to UNICEF (2021), every 15 minutes, somewhere in the world, a child or adolescent suffers sexual abuse, and 77% of perpetrators are family members or people known to the victim. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent real children whose development, mental health, and future are profoundly and permanently harmed (WHO, 2019).
However, this is not an inevitable reality. The science is clear: child sexual violence is preventable (WHO, 2014, UNICEF, 2020). What is needed is a shift from individualized and improvised responses to collective, evidence-based actions—and this change begins with each of us.
Prevention is not the exclusive domain of experts or institutions. It begins in everyday interactions and requires what researchers call Scientific Evidence of Social Impact: internationally validated practices that produce positive, concrete, and replicable results in people’s lives (Flecha et al., 2024).
Anyone can contribute. Talking openly with children and adolescents about bodily autonomy and boundaries, using age-appropriate language, is one of the most effective preventive actions available to families and communities. Research shows that children who receive this type of information are better prepared to identify, resist, and report situations of abuse (Roca et al., 2020). Breaking the silence at home, at school, and in the community is, in itself, a form of protection.
Schools are in a unique position to prevent child sexual violence. Teachers are among the first adults children trust and are the most constant presence in their daily lives. However, research consistently shows that most teachers feel unprepared to address this issue, lacking technical knowledge, institutional support, or confidence in reporting protocols (Rodrigues; Mello, 2024).
Dialogic Teacher Training is an evidence-based approach to social impact that directly addresses this gap. Grounded in Dialogic Learning (Flecha, 1997; Aubert et al., 2016), Dialogic Teacher Training positions teachers as active co-creators of knowledge, engaging them with the scientific literature and collectively reflecting on their pedagogical practices through Dialogic Scientific Gatherings. Studies show that when teachers are trained through Dialogic Gatherings, they develop not only greater knowledge about child sexual violence but also a stronger sense of professional responsibility and readiness to act as protectors within the school’s care network (Rodrigues; Mello, 2024; Flecha et al., 2024).
Prevention at home is not about fear, but rather about trust, dialogue, and information. One of the most powerful tools identified by the scientific community is preventive socialization: the process by which children learn on a daily basis, in safe and loving environments, what constitutes respectful relationships and what does not.
Successful Educational Actions, validated by the European research project INCLUD-ED (Flecha, 2015), include Community Educational Participation initiatives that support caregivers in fostering these conversations at home. When families are actively involved in their children’s education and protection, outcomes improve significantly, not only academically but also in terms of children’s social and emotional well-being (Flecha et al., 2024).
Child sexual violence thrives on silence, isolation, and misinformation; it is weakened by dialogue, informed communities, and institutions that commit to prevention as an effective strategy. In this process, every person shares responsibility for developing responses and protecting children and adolescents. Science has given us the tools. The issue now is that we need to use them urgently.
Infância Segura Website: https://www.infanciasegurabrasil.com.br/
Bachelor’s degree in Education from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar/Brazil) and is pursuing a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Education at the same institution. Conducts research in the areas of child sexual violence prevention and dialogic pedagogical training. Member of the Center for Research and Social and Educational Action (NIASE/UFSCar) and manages the website Infância Segura (www.infanciasegurabrasil.com.br), a scientific outreach initiative aimed at promoting protective environments for children and adolescents.