International Experience in Developing Programs for Teaching Children’s Skills of Safe Communication with Strangers

Child safety is a priority for Russian child welfare state policy. Cases of child abduction by strangers for sexual abuse and exploitation are not so frequent, however they have grave and tragic consequences. In the Russian education system, there is a shortfall of domestic practices that prevent such cases by teaching children to recognize dangerous situations, refuse to communicate or ask for help. The article presents a thematic review of international practices aimed at preventing crimes against children and child abuse, which have proven their effectiveness not only by many years of experience, but also by scientific research. These practices particularly concentrate on teaching children skills of safe communication with an adult stranger. The methodology and psychological and pedagogical techniques of the practices are considered in the light of the evidence-based approach.

1. Bochkova O.A. Akademiya bezopasnosti Ol’gi Bochkovoi [Security Academy of Olga Bochkova] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Moscow, 2019. URL: https://bochkova.academy/ (дата обращения: 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
2. Borisova T.S., Berlyand J.B., Snidko A.A. Lichnaya bezopasnost’ detei mladshego shkol’nogo vozrasta kak sfera vospitatel’noi deyatel’’nosti [Personal safety of young school children as a sphere of educational activities] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Upravlenie obrazovaniem: teoriya i praktika = Management of education: theory and practice, 2021. Vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 28–41. URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=47950911 (Accessed 22.11.2022). (In Russ.).
3. Zaharchenko N., Sitdikova S. Problema izucheniya doveriya detei mladshego shkol’nogo vozrasta k neznakomym vzroslym [The problem of studying trust in primary school children to unfamiliar adults] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Sovremennye issledovaniya sotsial’nykh problem [Modern studies of social problems], 2012, no. 1, pp. 569–587. URL: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=17831041 (Accessed 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
4. Kalinina A.S., Sekerazh T.N. Vzaimodeistvie s nesovershennoletnimi poterpevshimi lits, privlekaemykh k otvetstvennosti za sovershenie razvratnykh deistvii v seti Internet [Interaction with Minor Victims of Persons Held to Account for Committing Online Sexual Abuse]: Intentsional’nyi aspect. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, 2022. Vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 77–87. DOI:10.17759/psylaw.2022120307 (In Russ.).
5. Blagotvoritel’nyi fond v podderzhku materinstva “Byt’ mamoi”. Krug bezopasnosti [Safety circle] [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: https://safetycircle.ru/ (Accessed 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
6. L’vova-Belova M. Doklad o deyatel’nosti Upolnomochennogo pri Prezidente Rossiiskoi federatsii po pravam rebenka v 2021 godu [Report on the activities of the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child under the President of the Russian Federation in 2021] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Upolnomochennyi pri Prezidente Rossiiskoi Federatsii po pravam rebenka. Moscow, 2022. 481 p. URL: http://deti.gov.ru/documents/doklad (Accessed 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
7. Matweewa O.N. O sotsializatsii mladshikh shkol’nikov v sovremennykh usloviyakh [Socialization of junior pupils in modern social conditions] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Izvestiya PGU im. V.G. Belinskogo [Proceedings of the PSPU named after V.G. Belinsky], 2010, no. 16, pp. 151–157. URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=14570425 (Accessed 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
8. Medvedeva A.S., Dozortseva E.G. Kharakteristiki onlain gruminga kak vida seksual’noi ekspluatatsii nesovershennoletnikh (po rezul’tatam analiza perepisok vzroslykh i detei v seti Internet) [Features of online grooming as a form of sexual exploitation of minors (based on the analysis of communication between adults and children in the Internet]. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, 2019. Vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 161–173. DOI:10.17759/psylaw.2019090412 (In Russ.).
9. Ministerstvo prosveshcheniya Rossiiskoi Federatsii. Minprosveshcheniya Rosii [Ministry of Education of Russia] [Elektronnyi resurs]: Ofitsial’nyi internet-resurs. URL: https://edu.gov.ru/ (Accessed 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
10. Nutskova E.V., Dozortseva E.G. Kliniko-psikhologicheskie osobennosti nesovershennoletnikh, poterpevshikh ot kibergruminga [Clinical and Psychological Features of Minor Victims of Cybergrooming]. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, 2022. Vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 66–76. DOI:10.17759/psylaw.2022120306 (In Russ.).
11. Komitet po obrazovaniyu administratsii Engel’cskogo munitsipal’nogo raiona. Sotsial’nyi eksperiment “Kuda ukhodyat deti?” [Social experiment “Where do children go?”] [Elektronnyi resurs]. Portal komiteta po obrazovaniyu administratsii Engel’sskogo munitsipal’nogo raiona [Portal of the Committee on Education of the Administration of the Engels Municipal District]. Engel’s, 2019. URL: https://www.engels-edu.ru/main-news/novosti-2019/novosti-2019_11081.html (дата обращения: 22.11.2022). (Accessed 22.11.2022). (In Russ.).
12. Stop ugroza [Stop the threat] [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: https://stop-ugroza.ru/ (Accessed 22.12.2022). (In Russ.).
13. Hazard A., Webb C., Kleemeir C., Angert L., Rohl J. Child sexual abuse prevention: Evaluation and one-year follow-up. Child Abuse & Neglect, 1991. Vol. 15, no. 1–2, pp. 123–138. DOI:10.1016/0145-2134(91)90097-W
14. Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline. Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe [Elektronnyi resurs]. Childhelp. URL: https://www.childhelp.org/speakupbesafe/ (Accessed 22.12.2022).
15. Collie C.J.R., Shalev Greene K. The Effectiveness of Victim Resistance Strategies against Stranger Child Abduction: An Analysis of Attempted and Completed Cases. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 2016. Vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 277–295. DOI:10.1002/jip.1457
16. Davis M.K., Gidycz C.A. Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 2000. Vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 257–265. DOI:10.1207/S15374424jccp2902_11
17. Brenick A., Shattuck J., Donlan A., Duh Sh., Zurbriggen E.L. Empowering children with safety-skills: An evaluation of the Kidpower Everyday Safety-Skills Program. Children and Youth Services Review, 2014. Vol. 44, pp. 152–162. DOI:10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.06.007
18. Kidpower International [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: https://www.kidpower.org/ (Accessed 22.12.2022).
19. Kids In The Know [Elektronnyi resurs]. Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Winnipeg, 2022. URL: https://www.kidsintheknow.ca/app/en/ (Accessed 22.12.2022).
20. Kraizer S., Witte S.S., Freyer G.E. Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: What Makes Them Effective in Protecting Children? Children today, 1989. Vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 23–27. DOI:10.7916/D8CG00R4
21. Kraizer S.K., Fryer G.E., Miller M. Programming for Preventing Sexual Abuse and Abduction: What Does It Mean When It Works? [Elektronnyi resurs]. Child Welfare, 1988. Vol. 67, no. 1, pp. 69–78. URL: https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/programming-preventing-sexual-abuse-and-abduction-what-does-it-mean (Accessed 22.12.2022).
22. Schwartz Ch., Garland O., Waddell Ch., Harrison E. Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities in Children [Elektronnyi resurs]: A Research Report Prepared for Child and Youth Mental Health British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development. Vancouver: Simon Fraser University, 2006. 18 p. URL: https://childhealthpolicy.ca/mental-health-and-developmental-disabilities-in-children/ (Accessed 22.12.2022).
23. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children [Elektronnyi resurs]. URL: https://www.missingkids.org/ (Accessed 22.12.2022).
24. MacMillan H.L., MacMillan J.H., Offord D.R., Griffith L., MacMillan A. Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse: A Critical Review. Part II. Journal of child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1994. Vol. 35, no. 5, pp. 857–876. DOI:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1994.tb02299.x
25. Safe Child Program [Elektronnyi resurs]. Coalition for Children. URL: https://safechild.org/sexual-abuse/ (Accessed 22.12.2022).
26. Sanders M.R., Markie‐Dadds C., Turner K.M.T. Theoretical, Scientific and Clinical Foundations of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program: A Population Approach to the Promotion of Parenting Competence [Elektronnyi resurs]. Parenting Research and Practice Monograph No. 1. Brisbane: The Parenting and Family Support Centre, The University of Queensland, 2002. 26 p. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/37621619_Theoretical_Scientific_and_Clinical_Foundations_of_the_Triple_P-Positive_Parenting_Program_A_Population_Approach_to_the_Promotion_of_Parenting_Competence (Accessed 22.12.2022).
27. Diaz M.J., Wolfersteig W., D. Moreland, G. Yoder, P. Dustman, M.L. Harthun Teaching Youth to Resist Abuse: Evaluation of a Strengths-Based Child Maltreatment Curriculum for High School Students. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 2021. Vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 141–149. DOI:10.1007/s40653-020-00304-2
28. Wolfersteig W., Diaz M.J., Moreland D. Empowering Elementary and Middle School Youth to Speak Up and Be Safe: Advancing Prevention of Child Maltreatment with a Universal School-Based Curriculum. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022. Vol. 19, no. 19, article ID 11856, 12 p. DOI:10.3390/ijerph191911856