Sexual exploitation of children is a major social problem in the United States and around the world‎.‎ Depending upon how such exploitation is defined and measured‎,‎ divergent estimates indicate that in the U‎.‎S‎.‎ between 3 and 37 percent of males‎,‎ and between 8 and 71 percent of females are sexually abused in some manner during childhood or adolescence‎.‎ In response‎,‎ governments have passed strict laws‎,‎ entered into international treaties‎,‎ and established large bureaucracies aimed at curbing child sexual abuse‎.‎ Preventing the Sexual Victimization of Children is the first book to critically evaluate national and international efforts to reduce child sexual abuse ‎(‎CSA‎)‎ and ameliorate its effects‎.‎ Until now‎,‎ input from social science and mental health experts has been accepted for the most part uncritically‎,‎ as have the programs and laws that have been developed in reliance upon that advice‎.‎ Here Dr‎.‎ Ewing utilizes empirical data‎,‎ policy considerations‎,‎ cost‎-benefit analyses‎,‎ psychological theory‎,‎ legal reasoning‎,‎ and common sense to undertake the often difficult and sometimes controversial task of distinguishing prevention strategies that are likely to prevent CSA from those that are not‎.‎ He concludes that the most expensive preventive strategies‎-such as sex offender registration‎,‎ enhancing criminal penalties for such offenders‎,‎ and civilly confining them‎-are not effective in preventing CSA and may actually increase its likelihood‎.‎ However‎,‎ he also concludes that many other strategies are or could be effective in preventing CSA‎,‎ such as minimizing opportunities for such abuse‎,‎ risk education‎,‎ teaching children to protect themselves‎,‎ encouraging bystander intervention‎,‎ limiting the cultural sexualization of children‎,‎ improving the investigation and prosecution of CSA allegations‎,‎ using technology to stop child pornography and to rescue its victims‎,‎ changing the culture in child‎-serving organizations‎,‎ and more‎.‎ This volume will be a unique and critical resource for lawyers‎,‎ researchers‎,‎ psychologists‎,‎ social workers‎,‎ public policy officials‎,‎ students‎,‎ and child advocates interested in preventing child sexual abuse‎.‎