Sexual abuse of children takes many forms. It is not solely the traditional view of a male parent having intercourse with a frightened and unwilling daughter; it is much wider than that. Sexual abuse takes place when one person uses their power to obtain sexual gratification from another. It may include watching (e.g. leering), touching, inappropriate commenting, as well as more overt sexual contact which may or may not lead to penetration.

The following is a list of things that you may not know about sexual abuse:

The abuser is usually known and trusted by the child. Only 4% of children are abused by strangers.

Children rarely tell about their abuse. Only 10% report the matter to the police. Often the reason for not doing so includes feelings of guilt and shame; they may feel confused and feel that they will not be believed. bay of plenty sexual harm support

The after effects may include confused sexual boundaries when older, repression of the memories, and the victim may become either sexually repressed or excessively promiscuous later in life.

Children usually feel that they are (at least partially) responsible for the abuse. They feel that they have either encouraged the attention or did not object sufficiently.

The memory of the abuse is often traumatic enough that it is repressed. The victim often does not recall the event until much later in life for example, in their forties.

The abuser often rationalizes the act believing that he (or she) is showing genuine love.

Child sexual abuse is an assault on a child's most basic relationship and often makes the home a dangerous rather than safe place. sexually assaulted Tauranga

False allegations of sexual abuse are rare, accounting for approximately 2% of reports to the police.

Sexual abuse used to be thought of as something that took place amongst certain groups or classes. It is now known that it appears in every social group, all races, and all ethnic backgrounds, in all geographical areas, in towns and in the country. There appears to be no specific trigger.

The degree of effect on the individual varies with the age on which the abuse started and the duration. Other factors that render the abuse more difficult to deal with include the use of force, the occurrence of penetration, the parent figure involved and the lack of caring support nearby. sexual assault hamilton

Abuse typically occurs within a long term, ongoing relationship between the offender and victim, where it escalates with seriousness over time and lasts on average of 4 years. It is also interesting to note that sexual abuse often occurs in successive generations of the same family.

Male victimization is particularly difficult to estimate due to incorrect beliefs by the public. Many people believe that only girls can be sexually abused. Some believe that sex between older women and boys is desirable. Some believe that male victimization of boys is an indication of a lack of masculinity by the child or that the child must have been in agreement.

Certainly the incidence of child abuse has been poorly reported. In some areas, the social services have been too enthusiastic in seeking out cases of abuse and as a result cases have been reported where no abuse has taken place.

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