What Is Child Sexual Violence?

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse, this also includes via the internet. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males, Women and other children can also commit acts of sexual abuse. This type of abuse is usually committed by someone known to the victim not just by sexual predators. It is important to remember that boys as well as girls can also be the victim of sexual abuse. The signs of sexual abuse as with emotional abuse may not be outwardly visible, because of the shame and self-blame a child will have if this is happening or has happened to them, makes it very difficult for a child

There are various factors that will increase the probability that a parent or caregiver will abuse a child. These factors are associated with the financial state of the family and the status or age of the parent when they became a parent, “children living with single parents are more likely to live in poverty with fewer social supports, which may contribute to stress and increase risks of maltreatment” (American Psychological Association, 2016), this is also an indicator for perpetrators to skillfully maneuver their caring ways into the child’s life to abuse them. “Infants and young children are also at risk with parents with strained financial statuses, because they are small and need constant care, and are more likely to experience certain forms of maltreatment such as being shaken by parents or caregivers frustrated or overwhelmed by persistent crying. Teenagers, on the other hand, are at greater risk for sexual abuse” (APA, 2016). Dr. Langberg states that 20 to 40 percent of the females, typically beginning at age 6 and 20 percent of males, beginning at the age of 10 who are at risk, will be sexually abused by the age 18 years old (Langberg, 2003). Children in violent homes may be victims of physical or they may be neglected by their parents or caregivers who may be focusing on their partners, which causes an unresponsiveness to the children, ultimately causing forms of neglect. If these children have any physical, emotional or cognitive

“A University study found 20.6% of women and 10.5% of men reported non-penetrative childhood sexual abuse by the age of 16 and that 7.9% of women and 7.5% of men reported penetrative childhood sexual abuse by the age 16 years. (Mamun, Lawlor, O’Calloghan, Bor, Williams. & Najman, 2007 Queensland University

Sexual abuse, whether of adults or children, is also abuse of a position of power. It also covers any behaviour by any adult towards a child to stimulate either the adult or child sexuality. When the victim is younger than the age of consent (it is a minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts), it is referred to as child sexual abuse.

“The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act” states’ that “child abuse is the leading cause of death in children under the age of eighteen.” Child abuse occurs when adults inflict violence and cruelty upon children. Abuse is any willful act that results in physical, mental, or sexual injury that causes or is likely to cause the child to be physically, mental, or emotionally impaired. Abuse happens to children of any age, sex, race, religion, and social status.

Studies done by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crime Against Children Research Center, show that about one in five girls and about one in twenty boys are victims of child sexual abuse. Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth’s aged 14 to 17 have been sexually victimized. According to the 2003 National institute of Justice report three out of four adolescent children have been sexually violated by someone they knew very well (Child Abuse Statistics , 2012). The figure below represents children’s exposure to violence in 2011 by the child’s age. The graph shows that children from the ages fourteen to seventeen were sexually victimized the most while children aged zero to one were least exposed sexually (Childrens Exposure to Violence , 2013).

Research indicates that 1 out of every 4 children will be the victim of sexual abuse before reaching age 18

In the United States today studies show that “1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men are sexually abused before the age of 18” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). Therefore that would mean 42 million adults are survivors of child abuse right here in the United States. Among these children there are 73% of children who do not tell anyone for a year, and many who never tell anyone (The Children’s Assessment Center). If we do not intervene many would say 500,000 babies will be born and sexually abused by the age of 18. It is important is it to be educated in the signs and symptoms of adult and child sexual abuse and getting involved in our own communities to stop this vicious cycle. You may or may not be a social worker or therapist but everyone can help an adult or child just by caring enough to stop and recognize the clues (The Children’s Assessment Center).

Research conducted in the United States of America clearly identifies an interaction between victim age and abuse characteristics (USDHHS, 2003). There exists a negative correlation between the onset and prevalence of physical neglect and victim age, for instance, indicative of a young child's dependency upon the caregiver for supervision and nurture (Mash & Wolfe, 2005). The incidence of physical and emotional abuse is also most prominent during developmental periods of independence, specifically the early, pre-school and adolescent transitional stages of development (ibid). Sexual abuse has prevailed most consistently, however, from an onset of age 3 throughout childhood, highlighting the vulnerability of children across the age-spectrum (ibid). Nevertheless, victim gender is emphasised as an influential variable within the incidence and nature of sexual abuse; for females have accounted for up to 80% of reported victims and are more likely to be abused by male family members in contrast to male victims, where the perpetrator of abuse is more likely to be a non-family male offender (USDHHS, 2003; Berliner & Elliott, 2002).

It should be noted that statistics show that 1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age 18; 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18; 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet (Darkness2light, 2009c). Also children who are ill, disabled, or otherwise perceived as different are more likely targets of abuse(Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2009).

Children between the ages of three to five years old are considered to be the most vulnerable to be a victim of sexual abuse. Children need to have supervision at all times, especially during times like changing clothes and bathing. If unsupervised, this can open the door for sexual abuse by the relatives, babysitters, etc. The second risk factor is the socioeconomic status; the offender will notice the child isn’t getting any attention from the family and will manipulate the situation with the child. The perpetrator will offer to buy the child things that the family can’t, listen to the child’s problems and gain their trust. The level of education plays a role, if the child is raised by a single parent and/or if the parents have marital problems. Once trust is established this is when the perpetrator will sexually abuse a child. Lastly, the final part is how well the child knows the perpetrator. The abuse of the child usually has occurred for a long time due to the close relationship between the child and perpetrator. The perpetrator will groom the child and his/her family by doing things for them, which the abuser has been targeting the child for

Male abusers were abused during childhood reach seventy-three percent. According to national sample[15] of children and youth, [6] 60 percent of children who are 17 years old or even younger have been either directly or indirectly experienced violence. [7] Children’s Exposure to Violence claims that 41% of kids were physically harassed before 2011; More than one-half of kids had been encountered during lifetime; children who underwent abuses within previous year are 14%; six percent of children admit that they have been met sexual harassment over past

Children between the ages of three to five years old are considered to be the most vulnerable to be a victim of sexual abuse. Children need to have supervision at all times, especially during times like changing clothes and bathing. If unsupervised, this can open the door for sexual abuse by the relatives, babysitters, etc. The second risk factor is the socioeconomic status; the offender will notice the child isn’t getting any attention from the family and will manipulate the situation with the child. The perpetrator will offer to buy the child things that the family can’t buy for the child, listening to the child’s problems and gain their trust. The level of education plays a role, if the child is raised by a single parent and/or if the parents have marital problems. Once trust is established this is when the perpetrator will sexually abuse a child. Lastly, the final part is how well the

Child abuse is any form of physical, psycological, social, emotional or sexual maltreatment* of a child. It could be endangering the survival, the safety, the sefl-esteem, the growth and the development of the child. Child abuse is more than just bruises and broken bones. Not all child abuses are obvious.

What is child sexual abuse? Child sexual abuse or child molestation is a form of abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities, indecent exposure such as “flashing” or showing private parts, physical sexual contact with a child, or using a child to produce child pornography or prostitution.