Evaluating a program to prevent child sexual abuse in youth sports
Official title: CE22-003 - Evaluation of Circles of Safety? for the Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse
Funded at Center for Violence Prevention Research, INC. · NIH-11120825 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how well the Circles of Safety® program helps keep kids safe from sexual abuse in sports by teaching adults about prevention and support, and it's for anyone involved in youth sports who wants to help protect children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Center for Violence Prevention Research, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Melrose, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | September 29, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $399,986 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CE003409-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11120825 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include youth athletes and the adults involved in their sports organizations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not involved in youth sports or who do not interact with youth athletes may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of the Circles of Safety® program, which aims to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA) in youth sports. The program provides education to adults involved with youth athletes and offers resources for those affected by CSA. By partnering with organizations like Stop it Now! and USA Football, the study will assess how well this prevention strategy works through a randomized trial. The goal is to gather evidence on the program's impact and improve safety for children in sports environments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse in youth sports settings.
How similar studies have gone: While the Circles of Safety® program has been implemented widely, this is one of the first rigorous evaluations of its effectiveness, making it a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Center for Violence Prevention Research, INC.
Melrose, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bright, Melissa — Center for Violence Prevention Research, INC.
- Study coordinator: Bright, Melissa
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.