The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Jamaica) has completed a three-year research project exploring how digital and creative technologies can strengthen Jamaican youths’ awareness, understanding, and prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA).

Titled “Play. Talk. Change.: Digital and Creative Technologies for the Engagement of Youth in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Jamaica,” the project was implemented from June 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, with a total grant of US$105,000. The initiative tested Gabby, an interactive computer-based serious game designed to help high school students recognise child sexual abuse and its effects, understand where and to whom abuse can be reported, and develop both cognitive and affective empathy towards victims.

The project was funded with the kind support of the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI), a global organisation founded in and headquartered in South Africa that advances research on violence against women, violence against children, and other forms of gender-based violence, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. SVRI’s locally led, rigorous, and action-oriented research programme seeks to strengthen evidence, inform policy and practice, build research capacity, and contribute to violence prevention and response.

Engaging Youth Through Digital Technology

At the centre of the intervention was Gabby, a serious game developed to provide an interactive and youth-centred approach to CSA education. The intervention focused on enabling students to understand what constitutes child sexual abuse, recognise its effects, identify where and to whom abuse can be reported, develop cognitive empathy towards victims; and develop affective empathy towards victims.

The study also assessed the feasibility of implementing Gabby in Jamaican high schools, applying the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to identify contextual barriers and facilitators that could affect implementation.

Research Leadership and Collaboration

The Jamaican project was led by Dr Christine Fray, Associate Professor in the College of Health Sciences at UTech, Jamaica, and Country Director and Principal Investigator with the None in Three Research Centre, Jamaica.  She was supported by UTech, Jamaica team members Mrs Patrice Reid Cliff, Mrs Roxanne Harvey Ebanks, and Dr Kenisha Nelson.

Dr. Fray’s research spans nutrition, obesity, chronic non-communicable diseases, sports nutrition, child abuse, and gender-based violence. Her contribution to health research, including work on obesity, chronic disease, and gender-based violence, was recognised with UTech, Jamaica’s President’s Research Award in 2025.

Data Collection and School Engagement

School site visits and technical assessments were undertaken to prepare for implementation. Participating schools generally had at least two computer laboratories, each with approximately 40 computers. Equipment was assessed and updated to ensure compatibility with the game, while the research team coordinated teachers, distributed consent forms, and established data-collection schedules.

Data collection was completed at two participating schools in May 2026, generating 112 additional student participants. Students completed pre- and post-intervention assessments across experimental and control groups. The team also collected quantitative data on gameplay and gamer experience, alongside qualitative data from students in one experimental group.

The data collectors were final-year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Child and Adolescent Development course of study, while the data-entry team included a final-year student from the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Dietetics and Nutrition course of study.

Strengthening Research Capacity

The project also contributed to local research capacity through the recruitment and training of 15 data collectors. Two training sessions were conducted on April 25 and May 2, 2026, in preparation for the May data-collection exercise.

Focus-group activities with school staff further examined the feasibility of implementing the intervention within the school environment and provided insight into the contextual factors that could influence its adoption and sustainability.

Adapting to Implementation Challenges

The project team adapted its research activities in response to significant external challenges. The passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025, resulted in the closure of schools until January 14, 2026, necessitating adjustments to the research schedule.

Quantitative data collection originally planned for November 2025 was rescheduled to May 2026, while qualitative data collection with staff from one participating school was moved to February and March 2026. A further school requested that its participation be deferred until September 2026 because of CSEC examinations and was consequently removed from the project.

Despite these disruptions, the team successfully completed the final phase of data collection at two schools and engaged 112 students.

Evidence for Prevention and Policy

Beyond the school-based intervention, the project produced key knowledge outputs. The research team completed and submitted a scoping review on child sexual abuse in Jamaica, and the final research report was submitted on June 30, 2026.

Together, these outputs strengthen the Jamaican evidence base on CSA and provide a foundation for continued research and policy discussion on innovative approaches to prevention, awareness, and youth engagement.

Advancing Youth-Centred Prevention

Professor Paul Ivey, Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies, Research & Entrepreneurship shared, “The completion of Play. Talk. Change. represents a significant contribution to the emerging field of technology-enabled, youth-centred Child Sexual Abuse prevention in Jamaica. By integrating research, digital technology, and youth engagement, the project demonstrates the potential of innovative tools such as Gabby to strengthen young people’s understanding of Child Sexual Abuse, recognition of its effects, empathy towards victims, and awareness of appropriate reporting pathways.”

 “The project further demonstrates the value of locally led research in addressing nationally significant social and public health challenges. With support from SVRI and leadership from Dr. Christine Fray and the None in Three Research Centre, Jamaica, the initiative has generated new evidence, strengthened research capacity, and produced knowledge outputs that can inform continued efforts to protect children and advance effective CSA prevention strategies in Jamaica,” Dr. Ivey added.