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ON
CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT
Facts
About Child Sexual Assault
Child
sexual assault occurs in all racial, ethnic, socio-economic and religious backgrounds. (National
Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse, 1993). The
estimated number of sexually abused children across the country increased from
133,600 in 1986 to 300,200 in 1993, an increase of 125 percent.
(American Professional
Society on
the Abuse of Children)
As
early as 1979, researcher David Finkelhor estimated that one in four girls
and one in seven boys will be the victims of some type of sexual violence
before age 18. Since then, other researchers, including Mary Koss and
Kathleen Russell, have reaffirmed Finkelhor’s findings. The average age
at which children are sexually abused is between 9 and 10. (Finkelhor)
The
Crime
Sexual
abuse of children can be physical, emotional or verbal and can include, but is
not limited to, sexual touching or fondling of the child’s genitals or the
abuser’s; exposing children to adult sexual activity or movies and
photographs; having children pose, undress or perform in a sexual nature; or
specific acts such as rape, attempted rape, sodomy, incest and indecent assault.
A
high percentage of offenders are known to child victims. Abusers are most
likely to be parents, step-parents, relatives, family friends or
caretakers. Fewer than 20 percent of children are abused by strangers. (National
Resource
Center on Child Sexual Abuse, 1993)
The
Victims
Sexual
abuse involves forcing, tricking, bribing, threatening or pressuring a child
into sexual awareness or activity. Sexual abuse often occurs when an older
or more knowledgeable child or adult uses a child for sexual pleasure. The
abuse often begins gradually and increases over time.
Since
most children seek approval from adults, they are very vulnerable to
abuse. They will do what is asked of them without questioning. In
fact, the use of physical force is rarely necessary to draw a child into sexual
activity because children are so trusting and dependent. They want to
please others and gain approval. Children are taught not to question
authority and they believe that adults are always right. Offenders know this and
take advantage of children in this way.
Sexual
abuse is an abuse of power over a child and a violation of a child’s right to
normal, healthy, trusting relationships.
Often
children do not tell anyone about the abuse because they: are too young to
put what has happened into words; were threatened or bribed by the abuser to
keep the abuse a secret; feel confused by the attention and feelings
accompanying the abuse; are afraid no one will believe them; blame themselves
for what happened; feel ashamed or embarrassed to tell, or worry about
getting into trouble or getting a loved one into trouble.
Signs
of Child Sexual Abuse
Because
most children cannot or do not tell about being sexually abused, it is up
to concerned adults to recognize signs of abuse. Physical evidence of
abuse is rare. Unfortunately, there is no one behavior alone that definitely
determines a child has been sexually abused. Also, none of these behaviors
alone indicates sexual abuse. A combination of these over a period of time
may more strongly indicate sexual abuse:
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physical complaints; headaches
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fear or dislike of certain people or places
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extreme changes in behavior
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depression and withdrawal
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frequent nightmares; other sleep disturbances
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regression to infantile behaviors such as bed-wetting and thumb-sucking
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age-inappropriate interest in sexual matters
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frequent genital infections
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excessive masturbation
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self-mutilation such as burning or cutting
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In
older children and teens:
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suicide attempts
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school or discipline problems
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eating disorders; low self-esteem |
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drug and/or alcohol abuse
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How You Can Help a Child
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Keep
calm. It
is important to remember that you are not angry with the child, but with what
happened. Children can mistake anger or disgust as directed towards them.
This anger may cause them to withdraw. |
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Believe the child.
In most cases, children do not lie about sexual abuse. You
may be the only one the child thinks can give help. |
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Listen to the child.
Take
the child to a private place and let the child tell you what happened in his or
her own words. Give the child your full attention. |
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Give positive messages, such
as “I know it’s not your fault,” or “I’m glad you told.” |
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Reassure the child. Explain that he or she
was not to blame for what happened. |
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Respect the child’s privacy. Be careful not to discuss the abuse in front of people who do not need to
know what happened. |
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Be responsible. Seek medical attention for the child by someone who is trained to identify
and treat child sexual assaults. Even if the child appears unhurt, there
may be injuries and trauma not immediately visible. |
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Report
the incident immediately. Notify
the police, or CHILDLINE (800-932-0313). |
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Know how to get help. Your local sexual violence crisis center can
provide
many free and confidential services for child victims. Call Turning Point
at (205) 758-0808. |
Be Sure You Do Not...
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Panic or overreact
when the child talks about the experience. Children need help and support
through this difficult time. |
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Pressure the child to talk or avoid talking about the abuse.
Allow the child to
talk at his or her own pace. Forcing information can be harmful, and you are
not trained to interview a child victim. But silencing the child will not
help him or her to forget, either. |
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Confront the offender in the child’s presence. The
stress may be harmful.
Confronting the offender at all is never a good idea. Leave this to the proper
authorities. |
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Blame the child.
Remember,
sexual abuse is
never
the
child’s fault! |
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