Determining parents' knowledge and attitudes toward child sexual abuse

This descriptive study examined parents' knowledge and attitudes regarding child sexual abuse. Between 2 May 2024 and 1 June 2025, data were obtained from 373 parents who attended the paediatric outpatient clinic of Çayeli İshakoğlu State Hospital in Çayeli District, Rize Province. Two instruments were employed: the Parental Sociodemographic Information Form and the Child Sexual Abuse Knowledge/Attitude Scale for Parents (CSAKAS). Descriptive statistics (arithmetic mean, standard deviation, median, frequency, and percentage) were calculated; group differences were tested with independent-sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and appropriate post-hoc procedures. Effect sizes were interpreted with reference to Cohen's d and eta-squared (η²). Of the participants, 51.7% were mothers, 43.2% were 36–45 years old, 32.7% had completed secondary education (high school) and 76.7% had never previously received information on child sexual abuse. The overall CSAKAS mean score was 153.72±10.96. Mothers scored 155.10±11.25, whereas fathers scored 152.24±10.4 a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Mean CSAKAS scores also differed significantly by parental age, educational attainment, employment status, income level, family type, number of children, and prior exposure to information about child sexual abuse (p< 0.05). Overall, parents' knowledge and attitudes were above the moderate level. When designing educational programmes aimed at raising knowledge and awareness of sexual abuse, special consideration should be given to parents over 45 years of age, fathers, those with lower educational attainment, the unemployed, families with limited income, rural residents, members of extended households and parents with multiple children, as these groups appear to be at higher risk.