CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

The definition of sexual abuse with children is when an older child, a youth or an adult uses a child or youth for his or her own sexual gratification. This includes incest. Incest with children is when the child is sexually violated by a parent, parent figure, older sibling, other relative, or other significant person in the child's family life.

Therefore, I think it is a big problem that we should prevent immediately. In fact, the child sexual abuse is a significant public health problem in the United States and across the world. According to a research in the United States, one out of three females and one out of five males have been victims of sexual abuse before the age of 18 years. Sexual abuse occurs across all ethnic/racial, socioeconomic, and religious groups. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is considered a relatively common experience in the lives of children.

A report released by the National Institute of Justice in 1997 revealed that of the 22.3 million children between the ages of 12 and 17 years in the United States, 1.8 million were victims of a serious sexual assault/abuse. There are gender differences with regard to sexual abuse incidents; specifically, girls are at twice the risk than boys for sexual victimization throughout childhood and at eight times the risk during adolescence.

In addition, we also know that child sexual abuse usually occurs by someone the child knows and trusts. It can take place within the family, by a parent, step-parent, sibling or other relative or family friend. It can also occur outside the home, for example by a friend, neighbor, day care person, teacher, clergy member, coach, baby sitter, or even a stranger. When sexual abuse has occurred, a child can develop a variety of distressing feelings, thoughts and behaviors. The effects of child sexual abuse include depression, post-traumatis stress disorder, and anxiety. Thus, the child sexual abuse will cause the victim to be humble and depress in all over her live.