The knowledge of the parents on the symptoms of child sexual abuse in SK Serian and SK St Alban Ampungan (Serian, Sarawak) / Dayana Sazwani Shamshor and Michellena Jane Lawrance

Child sexual abuse has been a prominent topic of public concern for more than a decade. Child sexual abuse has been considered as one of the most serious public health problems facing society and, essentially, the children and adolescents themselves (Macmillan, 1998). We are undergoing a research regarding the parents knowledge on the symptoms of child sexual abuse. The symptoms of child sexual abuse is any changes of behavior and attitude shown by the victims. The effect of it is not only constrained to the victims but also on the society from it impacts on family, psychosocial results, juvenile delinquency, substance misuse and crime (Guat and Choo, 2012). The Child Act 2001 defined the term of ‘child abuse’ as at the point when the child has been or is at considerable danger of being physically or emotionally harmed or sexually misconduct or disregarded in terms of adequate care, food, shelter, clothing, medical attention, supervision and safety, or abandonment by parents or persons in responsible for the child at any one time. The act explained that it does not matter how much a child is hurt, but whether a child has endured harm, is enduring harm, or is vulnerable to harm or does not have a parent which are capable and willing to protect them from harm.