As defined in the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, sexual abuse is a sexual assault on, or the sexual exploitation of, a minor. Victims range in age from younger than one year through adolescence. Specifically, sexual assault includes: rape, rape in concert, incest, sodomy, oral copulation, penetration of genital or anal opening by a foreign object, and child molestation. Sometimes a child who does seek help is accused of making up stories because many people cannot believe that the apparently well-adjusted person involved could be capable of sexual abuse. This process leads many to be skeptical of a child's complaint of sexual abuse, and leaves him or her feeling helpless and guilty for causing so much trouble.
History:
*A child reports sexual activities to a friend, classmate, teacher, friend's mother, or other trusted adult. The disclosure may be direct or indirect ("I know someone..."; "What would you do if...?" I heard something about somebody.") It is not uncommon for the disclosure by children experiencing chronic or acute sexual abuse to be delayed.
*Child wears torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
*A child's injury/diseasey (vaginal trauma, sexually transmitted disease) is unusual for the specific age group.
*Child has a history of previous or recurrent injuries/diseases.
*Unexplained injuries/diseases (parent/caretaker unable to explain reason); discrepancies in explination; blame is placed on a third party; explinations are inconsistent with medical diagnosis.
*A young girl is pregnant or has a sexually transmitted disease. Pregnancy of a minor, regardless of her age, does not in and of itself constitute the basis of reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse and should not be reported. However, other information such as statements by the minor, indication of coercion, or significant age disparity between the minors may lead to a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse that must be reported.
Young Children
Younger Children
Older Children and Adolescents
*Withdrawl
*Chronic fatigue.
*Clinical depression, apathy.
*Overly compliant behavior.
*Poor hygiene or excessive bathing.
*Poor peer relations and social skills, inability to make friends.
*Acting out, runaway, aggressive, antisocial, or delinquent behavior.
*Alcohol or drug abuse.
*Prostitution or excessive promiscuity.
*School problems, frequent absences, sudden drop in school performance.
*Refusal to dress for physical education.
*Nonparticipation in sports and social activities.
*Fearful of showers/restrooms.
*Fearful of home life, demonstrated by arriving at school early or leaving late.
*Suddenly fearful of other things (going outside, participating in family activities).
*Extraordinary fear of males (in cases of male perpetrator and female victim).
*Self-consciousness of body beyond that expected for age.
*Sudden acquisition of money, new clothes, or gifts with no reasonable explination.
*Suicide attempt or other self-destructive behavior.
*Crying without provocation.
*Fire setting.
Physical Symptoms
*Sexually transmitted diseases.
*Genital discharge or infection.
*Physical trauma or irritations to the anal/genital area (pain, itching, swelling, bruising, bleeding, lacerations, abrasions, expecially if unexplained or inconsistent).
*Pain upon urination/defication.
*Difficulty in walking or sitting due to genital or anal pain.
*Psychosomatic symptoms (stomachaches, headaches).
In spite of its taboo and the difficulty of detection, some researchers believe this abuse may be even more common than physical abuse. Incest means sexual activity between certain close relatives (e.g. parents and children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren); intrafamilial abuse means sexual activity between persons in a family setting (e.g. stepparents, boyfriends). The initial sexual abuse may occur at any age, from infance through adolescence. Sexual abuse may be followed by guilt-provoking demands for secrecy and/or threats of terrible harm or consequences if the secret is revealed.
Children who are abused by someone outside their family typically know their molester. They meet them at school, youth programs, churches, in their neighborhood or at other recreational activities. People who molest children fall into all age categories, including pre-teens and the elderly.