Fostering Sexual Health Literacy Through Children's Digital Storytelling: A Participatory Action Research for S.A.F.E (Self-Awareness and Friendship Education)

Abstract

This Participatory Action Research (PAR) aimsto addresssocio- cultural barriers and stigma in childhood sexuality education by developing a S.A.F.E. (SelfAwareness and Friendship Education) model. The study seeks to improve sexual health literacy by engaging children as active creators through digital storytelling. The study involved 31 fourth-grade students from diverse multicultural family backgrounds, from whom 15 student cadres were selected to lead the creation process. They were given special training to create their own stories about selfprotection. The core methodology involved collecting rich qualitative "student voice" following the provision of stimulating materials such as songs, stories, and films. In- depth analysis of these portfolios was used to design the Interactive Virtual Digital Storytelling (IVDS) prototype. Findings show a significant impact on student comprehension, with an average comprehensive success rate of 96.8% regarding self-protection concepts. This result is validated by the use of strong studentgenerated metaphors, such as "Secret Door" for body autonomy and "Rescue Captain" for reporting mechanisms. The study affirms that a child-centred and culturally responsive approach can dismantle taboos, contributing to measurable, evidence-based abuse prevention strategies