Iranian parents report interest in serious games for child sexual abuse prevention

Researchers surveyed 219 Iranian parents, 79% of whom were mothers, each with at least one child under 18. The online questionnaire assessed perceived needs and attitudes regarding sexuality education for child sexual abuse prevention, as well as willingness to use serious games. It was developed with expert input and reference to the UNESCO sexuality education framework; the study used descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests.

Nearly all respondents (99.5%) considered sexuality education important for children’s safety, and 94.5% reported needing supportive educational tools. However, 74.9% had never used digital games for this purpose. Higher educational attainment was associated with greater willingness to use serious games (p<0.001); prior sexuality education experience and greater perceived need were also associated with willingness. Parents most often prioritized body awareness, personal boundaries, refusal skills and identifying trusted adults.

The findings suggest interest in culturally appropriate, age-specific and expert-validated educational tools among surveyed parents. They do not establish that a serious game would be acceptable, feasible or effective: no game was developed or tested. The online, cross-sectional survey of parents in Iran also cannot establish whether these views generalize to other populations or predict actual use.