What is Child Sexual
Abuse?
An act performed by an adult or an older person that uses a
child for sexual stimulation or gratification is called child sexual abuse
(CSA). It is a form of molestation and more often than not, the child may not
even realize what is happening to him/her.
Child sexual abuse can be perpetrated in different ways apart
from the act of sexually touching/indulging with a child. This includes (and is
not limited to) showing a child pornographic content or nudity, making them
undress against their wishes when not required, exposing genitals in front of
them or forcing them to see someone undress or using a child for pornography.
The consequences of such an act of molestation on a child is
multifold. The child goes into a shell and stops communicating with others
properly, or may go into depression or may experience post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
In some cases, the perpetrator of such an act of sexual abuse
is a person the child knows personally. This could either mean a family member
or a close family friend. In such cases, the adverse effects on the child is
much worse since they may have to keep interacting with the perpetrator often. The
long-term effects of CSA on a child can be highly traumatizing, especially if
the child does not open up about it to safe adults and suffers in silence. In a
lot of cases, the abusers blackmail the children into silence such that their
identity is not revealed and continue to abuse the child for gratifying their
own needs.
Occurrence
The statistics on child sexual abuse is, more often than not,
hard to state accurately as a lot of cases go unreported due to a plethora of
reasons. Despite that, the numbers on the same around the world are alarming.
Studies by the Director of the Crimes Against Children
Research Center (United States of America) state that over the course of their
lifetime, 28% of those between the ages 14 and 17 in the U.S. had been sexually
victimized. It further states that 16% of those between the same ages had been
sexually victimized during a one-year period. A National Institute of Justice
report (2003) further states that 3 out of 4 sexually assaulted adolescents
were abused by someone they personally knew well.
A government commissioned survey in India in the year 2007 revealed
that over 53% of children surveyed across 13 states had faced one or more forms
of sexual abuse. Even scarier is the fact that in a lot of cases, the perpetrators
turned out to be the parents themselves.
Reports also state that children between the ages of 3 and 8
are the ones who are most vulnerable to sexual abuse. Despite these numbers
though, Australian Childhood Foundation (2010) noted that 1 in 3 adults would
not believe a child who disclosed being sexually abused. Given the fact that
children are vulnerable to such molestation, it is important for adults to pay
heed to what children say especially given that in 98% of the cases reported to
officials, the children’s statements turned out to be true (NSW Child
Protection Council, 1998).
So what do we do to best protect our children? Teach them
about safe and unsafe touches, make sure they are not left alone with people
you don’t trust and reassure the child that they can open up to you about
anything they want to. In case the child does report something to you, listen
to them attentively, make them feel safe and then take the necessary action.
References
