Gamification Strategies for Child Protection: Best Practices for Applying Digital Gamification in Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

Gamification is a widely embraced strategy in education, employed to enhance motivation and foster effective learning outcomes. However, its application to sensitive topics has been scarcely explored and remains a subject of debate. While gamification holds the potential to elevate engagement and motivation in the learning process, it also introduces certain limitations, such as the risk of trivializing the subject matter and diverting attention from the core content. This paper delves into an investigation, supported by both a literature review and a survey conducted among professionals, focusing on the implementation of gamification mechanisms in child sexual abuse education. By examining insights gathered from prior research and engaging with experts, the paper identifies key facets of gamification mechanisms in the design of educational interventions addressing child sexual abuse and related topics. The aim is to contribute to a nuanced understanding and effective utilization of gamification when addressing sensitive topics in education, offering preliminary guidelines for practitioners.