Child Sexual Abuse
Alternate Names : Child Molestation
Child sexual abuse is any experience during childhood or adolescence that
involves inappropriate sexual attention from another person. This person is
usually an adult but can also be an older child, teenager, or even a person
the same age.
Sexual abuse can take place within the family by a parent,
stepparent,
sibling, or other relative. It also can occur outside the family by a friend,
neighbor, caregiver, teacher, or random molester. Children are often afraid to
tell anyone what
has happened. A recent study of girls in 9th through 12th grade found that one
out of five girls were physically and/or sexually abused by a dating
partner.
There are three types of sexual abuse: nontouching sexual abuse,
touching sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation.
Nontouching sexual abuse includes:
deliberately exposing a child to the act of sexual intercourse
exposing a child to pornographic material
indecent exposure or exhibitionism
masturbating in front of a child
Touching sexual abuse can include:
any penetration of a child's vagina or anus by an object that doesn't have
a medical purpose
fondling
making a child touch an adult's sexual organs
Sexual exploitation can include:
engaging a child for the purposes of prostitution
using a child to film, photograph, or model pornography
What are the causes and risks of the injury?
Sexual abuse happens to children of all religions, ethnic origins, and income
levels. Often the abuser is someone the child knows, rather than a stranger. A
person who was sexually abused as a child is more likely to become an abuser as
an older child or adult.
Experts know that adolescents who have been abused are
at higher risk for other health problems. However, we do not yet know whether
the health problems came before the abuse or if the abuse increased the risk
for the health problem. These problems include the following:
adolescent pregnancy
alcohol use,
including binge drinking
cocaine abuse
risky sexual behaviors, including intercourse before age 15 and multiple
partners
smoking
suicidal attempts or
thoughts
unhealthy weight
management, including
eating disorders
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