Finkelhor's Four Precondition Model

Finkelhor's Four Precondition Model explains that for child sexual abuse to occur, four conditions must be present: (1) a child must be vulnerable or predisposed to abuse, (2) a perpetrator must see the child as suitable or accessible, (3) the perpetrator must develop internal reasons or motivations to act, such as lack of self-control or beliefs justifying the abuse, and (4) there must be barriers or opportunities that allow the abuse to happen, like lack of supervision. These preconditions help understand how abuse occurs and can be prevented by addressing each factor.