Alexis Dubree

__________________________ position on protecting children in performing arts from predators and exploitation

Background

In 2020, two teachers at Christian Youth Theater in San Diego, California were accused of sexual assault by several former students (Rivas, Hargrove & Jones, 2020). Earlier in 2018, a former councilman in Louisville, Kentucky was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl while working together at a community performing arts theater over a three-year period (Peirce, 2018). Theater programs are merely one of the youth-serving industries that cases of child abuse and exploitation can potentially take place outside of the home.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 63,000 children a year become victims of sexual abuse, the average rate being one in nine girls and one in 20 boys (RAINN, 2025). The Children’s Assessment Center asserts that any child can be at risk of child sexual abuse regardless of gender, age, race or socioeconomic status. The Children’s Assessment Center (2025) also points out that most perpetrators of child sexual abuse are men, many of whom are respected by their communities and choose to spend their times in settings that will grant them access to children.

Although there have been many conversations surrounding topics of child abuse and exploitation in the entertainment industry following the release of the documentary “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,”there is a noticeable gap in research focused on child abuse in community youth performing arts organizations. However, even peer-reviewed research studies focusing on children in entertainment in Hollywood are few and far between. This means that this paper will use research drawn from similar organizations to the youth performing arts, such as youth sports and schools.

_________________________ official position

• • _______________________ believes that protecting children in performing arts from predators and exploitation is a non-negotiable responsibility of the organization, and that prevention measures are necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the community’s youth. In an age where child exploitation is becoming a rampant issue on social media and within online entertainment industries (Miller, 2025), _______________________ supports policies such as background checks that will create safe spaces where children can grow and express themselves.

Points that back our position

            When it comes to child sexual abuse and exploitation, education and training have been shown to increase reporting of ongoing abuse as well as preventing cases before they happen. In 2024, the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an organization that advocates and spreads awareness about abuse in sports, reported that education and trainings have led to increased reports of abuse from 281 per year in 2017 to 8,098 in 2025 (U.S. Center for SafeSport, 2024). When it comes to prevention of abuse, school-based education programs for child sexual abuse have been shown to increase a child’s knowledge and protective skills against predators and abuse (Walsh et al., 2018).

            A supportive, encouraging environment also makes it more likely for children to speak up about abuse. A study in 2024 found that children are more likely to speak up if they feel empowered and supported enough to do so (Costello & Holt, 2024). Another research study reported that in order for a child to feel safe disclosing abuse, he or she needs a communicative relationship and rapport with the person he or she reports to (Ettinger, 2022). Based on both of these findings, it’s clear that creating an open, encouraging environment will lead to children reporting behavior that makes them feel unsafe sooner rather than later.

            Finally, implementing safety policies and prevention measures builds trust with both parents and the overall community. In a study researching school choice and factors parents use to decide which schools to send their children to, parents listed safety as a number one priority and were more likely to enroll their children into a program with detailed safety protocols (Cantu et al., 2021). Another study determined that policies supporting community-wide intervention training and education about child abuse increased community trust and has had an effect on child abuse reporting (Majebi et al., 2024).

Arguments

            Child sexual abuse and exploitation is a complex subject, and the reality is there are many pitfalls and constraints when it comes to implementing preventative and protective policies.

1. 1. Implementing training programs and background checks can be costly and put strain on an organization. In Texas, a fingerprint-based background check costs $39.75 for paid employees and $37.75 for non-paid employees (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 2025). For organizations that have large employee and volunteer networks, this can add up. However, the return on investment includes reputational and legal protection, community trust, and, most importantly, increased protection of youth participating in the organization.

1. 1. An increased emphasis on child abuse reporting could lead to false allegations, which would negatively impact anyone falsely accused. A study published in 2017 shows that those falsely accused of abuse often face depression, stigma and a distrust in the justice system (Burnett, Hoyle & Speechley, 2017). That being said, Safe Shores DC Children’s Advocacy Center reports that false allegations of sexual abuse made by children are uncommon, statistically only between two and 10 percent of all reported cases (Safe Shores, 2021). With that in mind, the higher chances that a child is telling the truth about sexual abuse means it is a good practice to follow through on investigating the case.

1. 1. Preventative measures such as background checks have points of failure that make abuse and exploitation of children slipping through the cracks more likely. According to Safe Kids Thrive, it’s estimated that between 70 and 90 percent of child sexual abuse cases go unreported (Safe Kids Thrive, 2018), meaning those cases don’t yield convictions, leading to those cases not showing up in background checks. While it is true that background checks are not a reliable method of prevention on their own, the organization dedicated to ending child sexual abuse, Darkness to Light, recommends the layering of two or three preventative measures alongside background checks, such as the two-adult policy and employee and volunteer training (Darkness to Light, 2025).

Recommendations

Recommendations for parents

• • Take time to research the organizations to see what kind of policies they have in place to protect children from abuse and exploitation.

• • Communicate with children how to be aware of unsafe behavior from adults or other children in a way that’s age-appropriate and doesn’t diminish creativity or excitement.

• • Be aware of potential red flags from perpetrators, including inappropriate conversations, random gift giving or wanting excessive alone time with a child (RAINN, 2025).

Recommendations for staff and volunteers

• • Keep an eye or ear out for unsettling behavior from children, fellow employees or volunteers.

• • Communicate or report policies that might be proving ineffective or needing improvement.

• • Ensure that preventative policies such as the two adults in the room policy is being followed at all times when children are involved.

Recommendations for policy makers

• • Increase funding for state-led background checks.

• • Provide community training programs based on child sexual abuse intervention and reporting.

Reference list

Burnett, R., Hoyle, C. & Speechley, N. (2017, June). The Context and Impact of Being Wrongly Accused of Abuse in Occupations of Trust. The Howard Journal, 56(2), 176-197. https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/migrated/summary_report-_the_impact_of_being_wrongly_accused_of_abuse_hoyle_et_al_2016_15_may.pdf

Cantu, N., Varela, D., Jones, D. & Challoo, L. (2021, June). Factors That Influence School Choice: A Look at Parents’ and School Leaders’ Perceptions. Research in Educational Policy and Management, 3(1), 19-41. https://repamjournal.org/index.php/REPAM/article/view/42

Costello, A. & Holt, S. (2024, May 28). A Brief Report on Empowering Children and Young People through Participation: Giving Space and Voice to Childhood Experiences of Domestic Violence and Abuse. Journal of Family Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-024-00701-3

Darkness to Light. (n.d.). Partner in Prevention. Darkness to Light. Retrieved October 15, 2025, from https://www.d2l.org/partner-in-prevention/

Ettinger, T. (2022, June 28). Children’s needs during disclosures of Abuse. SN Soc Sci, 2(7), 101. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35784897/

Majebi, N., Adelodun, M. & Anyanwu, E. (2024, September). Community-Based Interventions to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect: A Policy Perspective. International Journal of Engineering Inventions, 13(8), 367-374. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385002838_Community-Based_Interventions_to_Prevent_Child_Abuse_and_Neglect_A_Policy_Perspective

Miller, G. (2025). Beyond The Yellow Brick Road: The Burgeoning Issue of Child Exploitation In Modern Media. Vermont Law Review, 49(3), 330-354. https://lawreview.vermontlaw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Vol49_Book3_330.pdf

Peirce, P. (2018, April 17). Abuse claims denied. Tribune-Review. https://advance-lexis-com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn%3acontentItem%3a5S4C-WD51-DYCW-C02B-00000-00&context=1519360&identityprofileid=5S2B7651956.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. (2025, August 28). Statistics: Children & Teens. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. https://rainn.org/facts-statistics-the-scope-of-the-problem/statistics-children-teens/

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. (2025, August 28). Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse In Young Children. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. https://rainn.org/warning-signs-of-sexual-abuse-in-young-children/

Rivas, A., Hargrove, D. & Jones, T. (2020, July 23). Curtain Drops at Christian Youth Theater Over Sex Assault Allegations. NBC 7 San Diego. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/investigations/curtain-drops-at-christian-youth-theater-over-sex-assault-allegations/2370401/

Safe Kids Thrive. (n.d.). Scope. Safe Kids Thrive. Retrieved October 15, 2025, from https://safekidsthrive.org/the-report/introduction/scope/

Safe Shores. (2021, April 6). Child Sexual Abuse: The Myths and Truths. Safe Shores. https://www.safeshores.org/2021/04/06/child-sexual-abuse-myths-and-facts/

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. (n.d.). Fees for Background Checks and Fingerprinting. Retrieved November 26, 2025, from https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Background_Checks/fees.asp  

U.S. Center for SafeSport. (2025, June 30). 2024 Annual Report. U.S. Center for SafeSport. https://uscenterforsafesport.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2024-Annual-Report_063025_v4.1.pdf

Walsh, K., Zwi, K., Woolfenden, S. & Shlonsky, A. (2018, January). School-Based Education Programs for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse: A Cochrane Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 24(1), 33-55. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049731515619705