From “Shame” to Safety Skills: Fathers’ Protective Practices in Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children with Developmental Disabilities

Gürgör Kılıç F. G., Yağan S.

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1, 2026 (SSCI)

Özet

Child sexual abuse poses a serious threat to children’s wellbeing and development. Children with developmental disabilities are at heightened risk due to difficulties in communication, social engagement, and recognising or disclosing unsafe situations. Effective prevention requires coordinated efforts across education, health, legal, and policy sectors, with parental involvement playing a central role; however, fathers’ roles remain underexplored. This qualitative study examined fathers’ protective practices, perceived needs, and recommendations for safeguarding children with developmental disabilities. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 fathers and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: (1) Threat Perception and High Protection Needs; (2) Recognizing the Limits of Recognition: From Detecting Signs to Seeking Professional Support; (3) Practices of Providing Education and Their Limitations; and (4) Emotional Experiences: Anxiety, Inadequacy, and Anger. Findings indicate that fathers experience significant emotional burden and constraints in delivering effective prevention education and would benefit from accessible, practiceoriented guidance and coordinated multi-agency support.