Examining the Effect of Message Framing and Demographic Traits on Public Support for a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

Child sexual abuse perpetration prevention programs have been implemented in several Global North countries. There is limited research on how to best advertise these programs to attract eligible participants while ensuring public support for such programs, as well as participant characteristics that impact receptiveness to this advertising. The present study explored the effect of advertisement message framing and personal characteristics on support for a hypothetical perpetration prevention program. A partially representative sample of Canadian adults (N = 1,487; 50.3% female) completed an online survey and were randomized to one of three mock advertisements that varied in message framing (risk reduction, wellbeing enhancement, or a combination of both). Participants rated how much they supported the program and provided data about demographic characteristics, personality traits, and their attitudes and beliefs. There were high levels of support for the program, though the messaging frame had no effect on this outcome. Several characteristics including personality traits, political orientation, stigmatizing attitudes, and perceptions of crime control effectiveness were associated with program support. The findings suggest that perpetration prevention programs can advertise their services in a way that emphasizes risk reduction and/or wellbeing without risking public support, and there may be opportunity to increase program support by considering key characteristics of target audiences.