Assessing Mothers’ Awareness Regarding their Preschool Children Sexual Harassment Protection in Alexandria, Egypt

Document Type : Research articles

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Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University

Abstract

Background: Child sexual harassment is a significant societal concern that affects children across various socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite Egypt's efforts to combat this issue, this harmful phenomenon continues to persist within Egyptian society. Objective: To assess mothers’ awareness regarding their preschool children's sexual harassment protection in Alexandria Governorate. Settings: The study was conducted at sixteen family health facilities affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) in Alexandria Governorate. Subjects: A convenient sample of 400 mothers who have at least one child under the age of 6 years. Tools: Three tools were used: I) A semi-structured interview to assess mothers’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics. II) Mothers’ knowledge regarding the child sexual harassment protection scale III) Mothers’ attitude regarding the child sexual harassment protection scale Results: The findings indicated that 51.50% of the participant mothers have an average level of knowledge, while 69.75% hold positive attitudes toward child sexual harassment protection. Furthermore, the results revealed that higher education levels were associated with better knowledge and more positive attitudes among mothers. Conclusion: The study concluded that mothers have average knowledge and a positive attitude towards child sexual harassment protection. A positive correlation was found between mothers' knowledge and their attitudes regarding child sexual harassment protection. Recommendations: Further efforts are needed to protect children and empower mothers with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively address child sexual harassment. Policymakers, educators, and relevant stakeholders can develop targeted interventions and educational programs to enhance awareness and promote positive child protection strategies

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