Child sexual abuse is a highly emotive subject and nurses have a key role to play in caring for survivors. Educating students about this role is difficult because a conventional classroom approach does not prepare students adequately or give them sufficient insight into the experiences of victims. The Stilwell virtual simulation model is a radical new approach which aims to assist learning by immersing students in a realistic multimedia simulation of a typical community. This model allows insightful learning about difficult areas such as child sexual abuse. Its use and contribution to learning in this area are discussed.