Knowledge transfer for the prevention of sexualised violence

Since 2010 when numerous cases of sexualised violence in schools, boarding schools, and other educational institutions were made public, the examination in society as a whole of sexualised violence against children and adolescents could no longer be avoided. After survivors, practitioners and researchers had worked to bring attention to the issue for several decades, the protection of young people has now become an increasingly important topic in Germany, both in educational and care institutions and in public research. Child and youth welfare facilities such as daycare centres and residential homes, and in a growing number of federal states also schools, are required to provide a prevention concept¹. Similarly, there has been a growing trend towards the introduction of obligations in organised sports. On this basis, clubs and associations develop and implement protection measures (e.g. Rulofs et al., 2023). However, there is still a need for further awareness-raising, qualification, and support for pro-fessionals and volunteers in various fields. In 2013 the Federal Government’s Round Table on Child Sexual Abuse² concluded that the generation, com-munication and acquisition of knowledge can significantly contribute to protecting children and young people against sexualised violence (BMJ et al., 2013). Scientific knowledge not only provides systematically generated insights into a topic or problem context according to scientific principles, but also serves as a reflective tool for professional practice and for the analysis of organisational structures.

In research on knowledge utilisation and (pedagogical) professionalisation, attention is drawn to the differences between the systems of science and practice and their distinct approaches to knowledge. Science is characterised “by an increase in the complexity of the construction of reality with the aim of distanced reflection” (translated from Radtke, 2004, p. 119). In contrast, "in the case of practice, it's about reducing complexity and necessary shortcuts [...] on the way to decisions/actions that cannot be postponed" (ibid.). In general, tasks and challenges must be addressed promptly, specifically, sometimes intuitively, and reflexively (Dackweiler & Schäfer, 2020; Sehmer et al., 2020; Thole et al., 2016). In addition to descriptive and explanatory knowledge, the ability to assess the (pedagogical) situation is crucial for the formulation of professionally justifiable decisions (Dewe et al., 1992). 

The fact that knowledge only becomes meaningful in the social contexts of the scientific community, the profession and the organisation, and that the logics of "knowledge utilisation" in science and practice differ significantly (Dewe et al., 1992; Dewe, 2005), has implications for knowledge transfer. Transfer does not mean simply passing on research findings as "basic instructions to practice or as objectives set by research for practice to adhere to" (translated from AGJ, 2009 p.3). Scientific findings, suggestions for reflection and recommendations for action are only rendered usable through practice-related translation and transformation oriented towards field-specific mandates, problems or case constellations.

The above describes some of the core complexities facing research into and the development of application-oriented products in science-practice transfer. Transfer is the focus of the current third funding round of the funding line set up by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in 2011 to promote research on sexualised violence against children and young people in educational contexts and care. The current research projects bring together partners from science and practice. They build on the research and product development conducted by previous funding rounds (2012 to 2021). During these rounds basic knowledge, particularly of risk and protective factors, as well as concepts, materials and training courses on prevention and intervention against sexualised violence were developed (Wazlawik et al., 2019; 2020). Above and beyond this debates and reflections on “valuing lived experience as a form of expertise” (World Health Organization, 2023, p.23), how the knowledge of people with lived experience has been essential for research on sexualized violence, and participatory research, have been crucially important to reflect the breadth of the issue of preventing sexualised violence against children and adolescents. Projects in the current funding round are developing new products for specific fields and target groups, and adapting earlier ones for a broader application in educational and social work contexts. At present, nine joint research projects and one meta-project receive funding through this programme.³ 

The following section examines factors that need to be considered when developing educational products for practice use to prevent sexualised violence. In this context, the collaboration between science, practice, relevant target groups, and adult survivors of child sexual abuse is of particular importance. Based on this, the paper outlines the potential of collaborative knowledge development and cooperation for designing products and facilitating transfer.

In this paper products are considered as a means of offering knowledge, because from a subjective perspective knowledge is not readily available and transferable. Products are for practitioners, volunteers and young people (e.g. educational materials, concepts and training). They offer thematic content, expert information or recommendations for practice use and implementation. By engaging with the offered content, individuals can obtain basic knowledge, comprehend connections, and acquire deeper knowledge and competencies. 

In the scientific discourse on transfer it is becoming increasingly clear that the development of knowledge in science-practice collaborations can contribute to the success of transfer and implementation (e. g. Blatter & Schelle, 2022; Dewe, 2005; Schuster et al., 2024). Relational and transformative perspectives on transfer posit that knowledge is created and transformed when different systems, typically science and practice, interact with each other (Schmiedl, 2022). The participants are engaged in an educational process in which they become acquainted with both the other and their own system, engage in dialogue about the different logics of the systems, and collaboratively develop new knowledge. Comprehension and knowledge are thus conceived to be the result of collaborative knowledge production between scientific researchers and practitioners, and as a further extension of the classic model of dialogue, also include young people or adult survivors as experts by experience and/or as researchers (e. g. Bitzan, 2008; in the field of sexualised violence, for example; Henningsen et al., 2022; Rieske et al., 2018; Stern & Nathanaili-Penotet, 2023).

Studies into various forms and models of cooperation between science and practice reveal the import-ance of interactive settings, dialogue and intermediation (Blatter & Schelle, 2022; Gredig et al, 2021; Hüttemann et al., 2016; Hüttemann, 2016; Oestreicher, 2014; Rothe, 2014). It has been observed that the goals of cooperation, which include knowledge production, the development of procedures, organisational and practice development, and the conceptual orientations of the collaborating parties can influence the nature of their relationship (Hüttemann, 2016). In addition to the culture of cooperation and the fashioning of relationships, the social welfare regime and financial support structures also appear to have an impact on the modalities of collaboration (Gredig et al., 2021). The nature of the collaborative relationship can therefore be either symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Actors involved in collaborative projects focusing on protection against sexualised violence contribute different types of knowledge. Theoretical, empirical and methodological knowledge is the domain of academia, while educational and social work practice primarily provides field-oriented knowledge based on practice experience relating to case constellations, target groups and action. Participants who have experienced sexualised violence and representatives of the target groups contribute personal experience to the process. This would not be captured by a purely theoretical approach, nor by cooperation solely between science and practice. The encounter between academics, practitioners, young people and survivors is also an encounter of different forms of knowledge. This can be constructively challenging while also providing an impetus for updating knowledge and expertise. 

It is important to consider personal and practical references with regard to practitioners, volunteers and young people as users of the products. From a systemic-organisational perspective, knowledge emerges when a certain content (a piece of information) is embedded in personal experience and is classified as relevant to the reference system, which includes the person and the organisation that person is part of (Kade, 2004, p. 53). The purpose and manner of knowledge production for transfer fundamentally depend on the problem that the new knowledge is expected to address and how the problem is socially contextualised. Products can 

a) facilitate the acquisition of contents and rather technical know-how, 

b) promote the understanding of problems, problem-solving, and of action to change organisational structures, or 

c) stimulate experiential appropriation of knowledge and competency development. 

The appropriation of knowledge is the most demanding and learning-intensive goal. It can influence "(individual and collective) mental models – and thus attitudes, patterns of thought and be-haviour" (translated from Reinmann & Vohle, 2004, p. 236). For instance, such reflective appropriation processes can occur in connection with a (self-) critical examination of presuppositions, interpretations, defensiveness, routines and rules of behaviour. Reflective appropriation processes typically require a greater investment of time, continuous engagement, and a more profound emotional, cognitive, and social involvement on the part of the individual and the organisation than the basic acquisition of fact and information based knowledge. With regard to the topics of sexuality and violence, these processes can assist in the development of an individual and organisational attitude towards the topics, for example in training courses (Kavemann & Nagel, 2018) and in the development of a prevention concept.

Development and transfer processes can be challenging and require expertise from various fields. In research on sexualised violence as well as in the development and transfer of preventive measures, it is important to consider that sexualised violence is a highly sensitive and intimate issue associated with various, sometimes intense emotions (regarding implications, especially for qualitative research, see Gulowski, 2022; Helfferich et al., 2016; Vobbe & Kärgel, 2022). It can evoke emotions such as shame, guilt, fear and feelings of powerlessness, to which people and organisations may react with defensiveness, empathy, withdrawal or actionism and activism. In light of their failure to critically reappraise sexualised violence in educational contexts, pedagogical professions have experienced a “fundamental crisis of confidence” (translated from Wazlawik & Christmann, 2018, p. 535). Within the framework of the above mentioned funding line various strategies are being developed to address the challenges faced by transfer projects focusing on the topic of sexualised violence. In addition to the scientific perspective, which contributes current research findings, theoretical and methodological knowledge, the inclusion of other forms of expertise is of crucial importance.

• Research on sexualised violence builds on the accounts and the knowledge of adult survivors. They contribute their expertise and concerns regarding sexualised violence experienced during childhood and adolescence to research and product development. Their expertise is essential to create products that are more sensitive to people who have experienced sexualised violence. Research and development can draw on their knowledge to assess the suitability of content and form for children and young people, who may be victims or survivors. It is also crucial to consider the expertise of survivors when developing materials addressing the critical reappraisal of sexualised violence. 
   
• The collection and analysis of data on young people´s perspectives is intended to provide insights for the development of prevention measures (Grieser et al., 2023). Through the participatory involvement of young people who may or may not have experienced sexualised violence (e.g. Fixemer, 2024; Stehr et al., 2023; for ethical standards see Poelchau et al., 2015) products can be designed to be sensitive to diversity and closely aligned with the realities of youth. This helps facilitate identification with the products.
   
• Practitioners from various disciplinary backgrounds contribute interpretations of and knowledge about problem constellations, conditions and approaches to action in different fields of practice that have evolved within their disciplines. On the one hand, this is important in order to expand basic scientific knowledge, e. g. about perspectives on protection and empowerment (Schmidt et al., 2023), gender and power, and disability (Schönecker, 2022). On the other hand, practical knowledge is relevant for the conceptualisation of products. Firstly, in order to address topics and perspectives of practice; secondly, because the knowledge appropriated in engagement with educational content can only be transferred into action when it is put into actual practice. This applies to interactional knowledge, such as the ability to conduct conversations with children (Krause et al., 2024), as well as to action knowledge and knowledge about processes (e. g. of protection, implementation, organisational development) derived from expert papers, guidelines or procedural schemes. Practical knowledge contributed to research and development cannot replace the effort of an individual translating a product into their own practice. However, it can contribute to creating products with closer proximity to real-world situations, conditions, and possibilities for action. During implementation, additional expertise (e. g. on organisational development, legal advice and/or specialised counselling) may be necessary, especially if the products aim to change organisational structures and procedures.

The funding line´s research also shows that collaboration with specialised counselling centres as key actors for training, support and guidance in protection processes, with umbrella organisations, and with central institutions for prevention, training and further education (so-called intermediaries) is of significant importance for knowledge transfer. Sustainable field-specific strategies for dissemination and transfer can be developed through such collaboration. In order to fully leverage the potential of collaborative knowledge transfer to prevent sexualised violence, actors rely on stable infrastructures for dissemination and transfer in the various fields of practice.

¹ Prevention concepts aim to ensure that minors and adults living in care settings can develop free from (sexualised) violence. For more information and details on the components of a prevention concept such as further training and risk and potential analysis in organisations, please refer to beauftragte-missbrauch.de/en/themen/schutz-und-praevention/prevention-concepts and Wolff et al., 2017. 

² The Round Table “Child Sexual Abuse in dependency and power relationships in private and public institutions and in the family” was constituted in 2010 to support those affected and to prevent sexual violence.

³ For more information please refer to: https://www.bmbf.de/SharedDocs/Publikationen/de/bmbf/3/31765_Kinder_und_Jugendliche_vor_sexualisierter_Gewalt_schuetzen.html.