SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AS A SOCIAL AND PEDAGOGICAL PROBLEM

Abstract

The problem of sexual violence against children concerns every citizen of Ukraine. The existence of this problem is currently acknowledged by Ukrainian society, and many experts advocate for the necessity of implementing a series of consistent measures to improve the prevention, detection, and overcoming of this phenomenon. While many researchers have studied and described the causes of sexual violence against children, few connect these factors with people's lack of knowledge in the field of sexual education. This article describes research related to sexual violence against children and sexual education. Specifically, it includes the All-Ukrainian study "Public Opinion on Violence against Children," conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on the request of the Council of Europe's project "Strengthening and Protecting Children's Rights in Ukraine," funded by the Government of Norway; a study on parental and teaching awareness and attitudes towards comprehensive sexual education in partnership with the Research Agency Info Sapiens, commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; and a study on the issue of sexual violence against children and their sexual exploitation on the Internet, conducted by the International charitable organization "Child Rescue Service" on the initiative of the Authorized Representative of the President of Ukraine on the Rights of the Child, Mykola Kuleba. These studies enable the tracing of a connection between the causes of sexual violence against children and the offenders' ignorance that a child is a full-fledged individual. A child has rights, personal boundaries, and the right to express their emotions – topics that are part of a comprehensive sexual education course. To reveal the essence of sexual violence against children, the article characterizes the causes of this problem and their impact on the child. Sexual violence has far-reaching consequences for children. They can manifest in psychological issues, loss of trust in adults, social isolation, adaptation problems in society, and other negative outcomes that affect the quality of their lives. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce comprehensive sexual education in general secondary education institutions today, which will play a key role in preventing this phenomenon and ensuring the safety and well-being of children in modern society.