Information on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

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Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

Sexual abuse is so psychologically complex for the victim that its true incidence is difficult to ascertain. Shame and embarrassment heavily shroudabuse, and many victims fail to report it. However, current estimates suggest that as many as 20 percent of children will be sexually abused in some way before they reach adulthood.''

It is important to understand that sexual abuse can take a variety of forms. The common denominator is that a child or adolescent is used in used in some way for sexual stimulation of another person who is an adult or at leastolder than the victim or someone who holds power or control over -Sexual contact involves any form of physical touch that is intendedsexual arousal of the abuser or the victim. This can include:

• Direct genital contact with the victim, including penetrative(vaginal, anal, or oral), whether or not overpowering force

• Fondling, rubbing, touching, or manipulating genitals or bre:-ing simulated intercourse.

• Kissing or touching clothed or unclothed areas of the victim-,sexual stimulation or arousal.

Sexual interactions do not involve direct physical touch anddifficult for the victim to interpret, but they are no less abusive.elude:

• Visual interactions in which the perpetrator deliberately watches a naked child or adolescent or exposes the victim to sexual imagery--pornographic literature or videos or an exhibition of his or her own body - to obtain sexual arousal. Very often exposing a child to pornographic material is intended to desensitize the child to more overt sexual contact.

• Verbal interactions in which inappropriate sexual or suggestive comments.wcut the child or adolescent, usually in a degrading or seductive manner.

• Psychological interactions in which a child or adolescent becomes aan an adult's highly personal or even sexual matters. In such may become a surrogate spouse or partner with whom the deep and intimate secrets that violate appropriate boundaries between adult and child.

While some of the situations listed above might sound less severe than oth-sw-rual exploitation is destructive and degrading, an assault on theithe victim. Even in situations where a child or adolescent is seduced into compliance with ongoing sexual activity, this is never a victimless consequences are not only damaging physically—involving at-Iturst injuries and/or exposure to sexually transmitted disease - but emotionally and spiritually as well. Children who are sexually abused are atfar various forms of self-destructive behavior, distorted or im- elationships (including difficulty with marital commitmentaddictions, and overall feelings of shame and worthlessness.

Sexual abuse occurs at all socioeconomicc levels. As with physical abuse, instances of sexual abuse involving a total stranger are far less common than those in which the perpetrator is someone the child knows—in a worst-case scenario, one of his own parents. Risk factors for the child include the absence of the nat--parental discord, poor relationship with one or both parents, s sexually abused as a child, and general lack of supervision.children who are raised by attentive parents in an intact familyzed by a relative, a neighbor, a caregiver, or an adult in a posi- over them, such as a camp counselor or a youth leader.

The violation of a child's trust by someone in a close relationship—a person who is supposed to looking after his welfare and protecting him from harm and providing a child's basic understanding of the world. One of the of parenting is to warn children about the possible risks out there to them become streetwise about the dangers they might encounter as they gow up and become more independent. Being sexually abused:• isn't "out there" but who instead is in a child's circle of trusted- or acquaintances sends a very powerful message to the abused:

There isn't any place in the world that is safe, and you can't trL:mind-set is a major mental and emotional handicap, and yearscould be required to overcome it.

Children who have been sexually abused can he difficult tomost children are too afraid or embarrassed to disclose it. The powis profound, particularly when the abuser is a family member. Very often the perpetrator either seduces a child into silence ("This is just our littlethreatens the child with emotional or bodily harm if anyone finds chappened.

There are several signs of sexual abuse that parents might look -

• Sexual knowledge or speech that is not appropriate for the(excluding normal bathroom fascination and humor in the early grades).

• Overtly sexual behavior or demonstrations. While children fantasize frequently, the content of normal fantasy does not include sexual acts.

• Depression, including suicidal behavior.

• Disturbed sleep and nightmares that are more frequent than usual.

• Refusal or extreme reluctance to go to a particular place or spend time with a particular person.

• Fear of being left alone.

• Physical complaints such as abdominal pain or headaches.

• Vaginal discharge or pain on urination. Recurrent urinary tract infectionsin girls or boys, while usually not indicative of sexual can occur because of it.

Sexual abuse is so abhorrent for children as well as parents that denial of its existence by either party is not only common but often doggedly persistent.Often mothers fail to recognize it in their daughters. Even when the abuser is not a family member, parents might not believe a child's story or, while acknowledging the abuse, now downplay its effects on the child. One of the most devastating scenarios for a child or adolescent is to be subjected to ongoing abuse because everyone looks the other way instead of coming to his rescue.

In many cases, the accuracy of a younger child's testimony regarding abuse is called into question or even flatly challenged. However, inconcrete thinking patterns, it is almost impossible for young children -sexual scenarios about which they should have little or no knowledgevents have actually occurred. In fact, since sexual abuse embodies shame, even children with physical signs of abuse frequently deny its occurence. Parents must be strong enough to listen carefully, face the fact that abuse may indeed7-red, and then support their child or adolescent through its aftermath. This includes the process of physical evaluation (which can be highly threaten-=comfortable for a child, even in the best of hands), as well as appro-.•chological and spiritual counseling, which will need to extend for possibly years to repair the damage.

It is also critical to take appropriate action to protect the child from the obvious step of ensuring that the abuser does not have any access to the child, appropriate legal action should he taken. There may be considerable reluctance to put a child through the trauma of police, testimony in court, and so forth, especially if the abuser isa member of the family. But it is also critical that the child knows that this violation •ing to be ignored or taken lightly. Furthermore, taking action could pre-children from being victimized by the same perpetrator.

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