title: Stop It Now! A Pilot Study Into the Limits and Benefits of a Free Helpline Preventing Child Sexual Abuse.
abstract: Stop It Now! aims to prevent child sexual abuse using a free anonymous helpline. It provides information, advice, and guidance to anyone concerned about child sexual abuse. It targets people who have sexually abused children or who are worried that they might do so. This article presents findings from a pilot study on the operation and outcomes of the helplines in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The findings underline the strength of the public health approach to prevention efforts. More specifically, benefits reported by helpline users are shown to correspond with the aims of the helplines. A number of factors were reported by users that helped them modify their own or others' actions to minimize risk of abuse. However, a challenge that remains is ensuring that helplines are accessible to those most in need. Recommendations are included to further expand the effect of Stop It Now! in reducing CSA.
authors.affiliation: a De Waag, Center for Outpatient Forensic Mental Health , Research Department , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Horn
authors.affiliation: a De Waag, Center for Outpatient Forensic Mental Health , Research Department , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.affiliation: b National Center for Social Research (NatCen) , Crime and Justice Research Department , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carol McNaughton
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.affiliation: a De Waag, Center for Outpatient Forensic Mental Health , Research Department , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jules
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.affiliation: b National Center for Social Research (NatCen) , Crime and Justice Research Department , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: b National Center for Social Research (NatCen) , Crime and Justice Research Department , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paskell
authors.affiliation: c Expertise Center for Forensic Psychiatry , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: c Expertise Center for Forensic Psychiatry , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeantine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.affiliation: b National Center for Social Research (NatCen) , Crime and Justice Research Department , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: b National Center for Social Research (NatCen) , Crime and Justice Research Department , London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jago
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D015277:Hotlines / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: abusers; children; potential offenders; public health