This paper gives an in depth overview of child sexual abuse.
The paper explains that the sexual nature of child abuse can be termed into three areas: non-physical or non-contact, physical and violent. After providing a historical overview of child sexual abuse (CSA), the paper examines the factors preventing and promoting its occurrence and indicators to look out for. Ethical considerations are discussed as well as intervention and treatment options and prevention efforts.
“Child sexual abuse (CSA) is one form of child maltreatment that may indeed be the most devastating, and may occur in the context of other forms of child maltreatment such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. CSA has various definitions depending on the context it is being defined for and the society or community it is being defined in. Generally speaking however, CSA involves: “contact or interaction between a child and an adult when the child is being used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or another person. Sexual abuse may also be committed by a person under the age of 18 when that person is significantly older than the victim or when the perpetrator is in a position of power or control over another child” (Wurtele & Miller-Perrin, 1992, p. 5). The above definition applies to extrafamilial CSA (occurs outside the family, usually by acquaintances, but sometimes by strangers) as well as intrafamilial CSA (occurs within the family or incest).”