It is a generally accepted belief that when a child tells someone that s/he has been or is being touched in a sexual way the child is telling the factual truth.  In most cases this is correct.  However, research has found that a child may create the facts and circumstances of sexual abuse through the Theory of Suggestibility.  This is brought about when an adult makes suggestions through words or actions in the presence of a child over a period of time that suggest that the child has been or is being sexually abused.  The child will believe that s/he has actually experienced the abuse when, in fact, the child has not.  Child sexual abuse investigators have an increased responsibility to practice objective investigative techniques to assure that the child's disclosure of sexual abuse is factual and not a product of an adult's subtle suggestive comments and/or actions.

Maltreated children can be found in all income groups. According to the National Study of the Incidence and Severity of Child Abuse and Neglect, children from low-income families are, however, more likely to suffer maltreatment than are children from higher income families. This finding would tend to lend some weight to the hypothesis that various environmental and family stresses associated with low income contribute to child abuse and neglect. A widely accepted explanation is that children from low-income families are not necessarily more likely to be abused or neglected, but are more likely to be reported because of a greater exposure to the public health and day care systems. The most persistent characteristic of child abuse and neglect is its universality. No geographic, ethnic, or economic setting is free of child abuse and neglect. In fact, the National Study of the Incidence and Severity of Child Abuse and Neglect found the incidence rates to be similar for urban, suburban, and rural communities.

It is estimated that in 80% of the cases of sexual abuse, the perpetrator is an adult known to the child. Only 20% of the incidents involve the menacing stranger children are warned about. Many other myths accompany the "stranger in a raincoat" perception of child sexual abuse. Sexual abuse usually does not occur as an isolated incident, but is a long-term situation which develops gradually. Sexual abuse is not always accompanied by violence and physical force; it may be the result of subtle forms of coercion, such as the use of adult-child authority or parent-child bonds. Young children do not have the developmental or emotional capability to choose to engage in sexual activity with an adult. Therefore, all sexual abuse, regardless of the form of coercion employed by the perpetrator, is the result of force.

Although some forms of abuse and neglect are more difficult to detect than others, there are signs or indicators which singly or together suggest that a child may be in need of help. The key is in learning to recognize and be alert to these indicators. In many instances, the indicators will be environmental or behavioral, not physical. Children tend to act as barometers of the family environment.  The child may have unusual or unexplained bruises, welts, cuts or other injuries, broken bones, or burns which may indicate physical abuse.  Torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in the genital area, bruises or bleeding in the genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease may be signs of sexual abuse.  Emotional abuse may include speech disorder, slowed physical development, behavior which is too mature or too childish for the age of the child, or have difficulty in making friends or keeping friends.  Neglect may be detected by signs of poor hygiene, slowed physical development or appear to be underweight, unattended medical needs and little or no supervision at home.

Being a parent is difficult. At times, it's so difficult that the parent becomes frustrated, loses control, and overreacts. This is the most common cause of child abuse. A parent is not a bad parent because he or she feels that they can no longer stand the demands made upon them. The children services agency staff are trained to help families under stress. The agency cannot make the problems suddenly disappear, but it can help.

When a child may be left alone is the most often asked question and the most difficult to answer about child care. Like most questions concerning the family, there is no one response. When determining the appropriateness of a child being left alone, there are many factors to consider. A primary factor, of course, is the child's age.  Other factors include the time of day, the child's maturity level, the length of time the child will be left alone, the child's proximity and accessibility to trusted adults, and the child's knowledge of safety techniques. Again, the underlying factor is whether the situation places the child at risk of harm. If you are unsure, err in the favor of safety and notify your local children services agency if you know a child who is being left alone and you believe that he or she is at risk.

To protect your children from sexual abuse, you should teach them to beware of the "stranger in the park".  While this is a good idea and all children should be taught the dangers of the unknown, in most instances of sexual abuse, the abuser is someone the child knows and trusts. The abuser may be a member of the family, a relative, a babysitter, or a neighbor. In only 20% of the incidents of sexual assault is the abuser a stranger to the child, and in only 10% is the abuser over 50 years of age.

Sexual abuse of children usually occurs between adult men who exploit young girls. While there are cases of adult women who exploit young boys, the majority of cases that are referred to child protection agencies involve adult men and underage girls. When boys are abused or exploited, they too are usually the victims of adult males. This is not to say that other types of abuse do not occur, merely that they are not reported at the same rate. Among the reported victims of incest, for example, girls outnumber boys seven to one. Some researchers hold the opinion that sibling incest is by far the most widespread form of incest. The comparatively lower rate of reported mother-son incest may be the result of the lower incidence of accompanying physical injury, a societal perception of its being less harmful, or a general disbelief in its existence.

The child sexual abuser rarely uses physical violence and usually will avoid its use since injury may lead to discovery. The sexual abuser is more likely to use power and authority as an adult (or older child) to coerce the child victim through bribes, threats, and the child's fear of the unknown. Children are taught to obey without question or resistance. The abuser's most powerful weapons are authority and secrecy.

They are female. They are 12 or younger. They are usually relatives or acquaintances. Who are they? They are the people most likely to be victimized by sex offenders, according to an extensive inmate-based study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The study, which canvassed some 14,000 inmates imprisoned in 1991 or earlier for violent crimes, found that two-thirds of convicted sex offenders victimized a child, and that one-third raped or sexually assaulted their own child or stepchild. Of an estimated 61,000 offenders serving time for violent crimes against victims under 18, nearly 10 percent had been convicted of the murder or manslaughter of a child; 15 percent had been convicted of forcible rape; and, 57 percent had been found guilty of other types of sexual assault, including sodomy, statutory rape, and lewd acts. An estimated 30 percent had attacked more than one child during the incident for which they were imprisoned.

Unless you are clinically trained and given the opportunity for diagnostic assessment, it is unlikely that you can identify a child sexual abuser. S/he usually does not suffer from pathological mental illness. S/he is likely to engage in ordinary work or social activities, and s/he appears normal. It is difficult to "avoid" a child sexual abuser. Even the most cautious and vigilant of parents cannot, nor would they want to, keep a 24-hour watch on their child. Besides, the adult who is prone to sexually abuse children often chooses work or activities which bring him/her into contact with the children. The best line of defense against sexual abuse is education. The second is communication. Parents are primary teachers of children and are responsible for showing them how to survive and how to cope with life. The first thing parents can do to protect their children is to teach them to protect themselves by communicating their fears and by talking about their daily activities.

A lack of or breakdown in communications is perhaps the most often identified reason why relationships fail, and it too is the primary cause attributed to why children may become the target of a pedophile.  Many parents have no clue as to what their children are doing, where they go, what friends they have, etc.  The key to preventing your child from being sexually molested by a pedophile is to talk and communicate with your child on a daily basis.  When your child gets home from school, or from spending the night at a friend's or relative's house, or at bedtime, spend a few minutes and get into your child's world by asking open ended questions.  What was the best thing that happened to you today?  What was the worst thing that happened to you today?  If you could change anything in your life right now, what would that be?  Who is your best friend?  What are the names of adults you consider to be your friends and why are they your friends?  Where did you go after school?  What did you do after school?  Has anyone asked you to keep a secret?  These are just a few examples of the questions you should be asking your child, depending, of course, on the age of your child and other factors.  Questions should be age appropriate.  It's never too early in a child's life to start this practice.  Many medical researchers believe that an unborn child can hear voices and it's a good practice to start talking with your child before birth.  Even though your unborn child cannot answer your questions, it will get you in the practice and habit of asking them.

A seductive or promiscuous child often is the result, but never the cause, of sexual abuse. One characteristic common to sexual abusers is a capacity for rationalizing their actions, mentally justifying an illegal, unacceptable, and inappropriate behavior as necessary and alright. Perpetrating the myth of the seductive or sexually promiscuous child by claiming it's the child's fault is one way of doing this. Through this type of reasoning, the abuser shifts the blame for his/her actions onto someone else. In the same manner, incestuous parents often justify their own sexual behavior as a way of teaching the child or keeping him off the street. These justifications ignore the abuser's responsibility as an adult, the child's vulnerability and dependency on the adult, and the long-term harm to the child.

There are several theories why adults sexually molest children. These differences probably reflect the wide spectrum of personality types involved, the complexity of the problem, and the difference in types of sexual abuser which occur - from the sadistic "stranger" rape to the long-term incestual relationship. One theory sees child sexual abuse not as a sexual offense committed for sexual gratification, but as an act of power. The child sexual abuser is characterized, for any number of reasons, by an inability to hold his/her own in an adult-to-adult relationship. To gain control, the abuser seeks personal fulfillment through a child. The abuser believes it is his/her right to use the bodies of children and that his needs come first, over the needs of those who are weak, defenseless and vulnerable. Some clinicians disagree with this theory and we'll discuss their theory in the next article.

The last article discussed the theory held by some professionals that child sexual abuse is not a sexual offense committed for sexual gratification. They view sexual abuse as an act of power. The abuser believes it is his/her right to use the bodies of children and that his/her needs come first over those who are weak, defenseless and vulnerable. Now, let us look at another theory held by some clinicians who disagree with this approach and believe it is important to acknowledge the sexuality of child sexual abuse. They believe that to ignore the sexual aspect in treatment and prevention is to avoid the central issue. They believe that sexual abuse of children, regardless of the form it takes, is a sexual act which results in sexual gratification for the perpetrator. There is a recognized clinical condition, pedophilia, which describes a persistent and long-term sexual interest in children. Pedophiles differ in typology and primary sexual orientation. The pedophile may confine his/her sexual contact to children or have co-existing sexual relationships with adults of his/her same age group. An examination of the wide difference in opinion regarding the causes of child sexual abuse is important because of two reasons. First, the inability to identify the right or wrong approach brings attention to the human factor in child sexual abuse. Each case, each incident, is unique, characterized by the individuals involved. The fact is there is no one cause or reason for child sexual abuse. Second, there is no easy solution to difficult problems. We do not have all of the answers, and there is still much work to be done for children, their families, and people who sexually abuse children.

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