Building a collaborative path: A twelve-step framework to combat child sexual abuse in every community

This discussion paper addresses the lack of standardized frameworks for multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) to respond to child sexual abuse (CSA) in resource-constrained settings, including lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While collaborative approaches are linked to improved justice and outcomes for victims, many such settings lack structured, coordinated models to guide such responses. To address this gap, members of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), in collaboration with Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center, initiated a project to develop a framework for collaborative CSA response. This paper offers a reflective discussion and conceptual overview of the framework's development, which was informed by: a comprehensive scoping review; guidance from a global Steering Committee of child maltreatment experts, reviewers, and advisors (N = 18) from countries including Austria, Georgia, Israel, Jamaica, New Zealand, Oman, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States; survey responses from 334 child protection practitioners across 87 resource-constrained settings; and focus group discussions with some of these practitioners in Albania, Botswana, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, India, Israel, Kosovo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Slovenia, and Uganda. The resulting twelve-step framework is child-centered, trauma-informed, and adaptable, designed for use where traditional models like Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) may not be viable. It promotes local collaboration, supports both short- and long-term goals, and includes supplementary tools, such as a resource guide and a customizable, fillable planning template, to help MDTs tailor their response to local realities. This framework offers both foundational guidance and practical support for strengthening CSA responses in resource-constrained settings.