Sexual abuse toward children and adolescents is a stark reality worldwide. A common misperception about child molestation is that it is a rare event perpetrated against girls by male strangers in poor, inner-city areas. To the contrary, CSA or child sexual abuse is a much too common occurrence that results in harm to millions of children, boys and girls alike, in large and small communities, and across a range of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. These acts are perpetrated by many types of offenders, including men and women, strangers, trusted friends or family, and people of all sexual orientations, socioeconomic classes, and cultural backgrounds.
The global prevalence of child sexual abuse has been estimated at 20% for females and 9% for males. Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims, approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often brothers, fathers, uncles, or cousins, around 60% are other acquaintances, such as friends of the family, babysitters, or neighbors; strangers are the offenders in approximately 10% of ; studies on female child molesters show that women commit 14% to 40% of offenses reported against boys and 6% of offenses reported against girls.
The word pedophile is commonly applied indiscriminately to anyone who sexually abuses a child,but child sexual offenders are not pedophiles unless they have a strong sexual interest in prepubescent children. Under the law, child sexual abuse is often used as an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. The American Psychological Association states that children cannot consent to sexual activity with adults, and condemns any such action by an adult: An adult who engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a criminal and immoral act which never can be considered normal or socially acceptable behavior.
Children are more vulnerable to sexual abuse if they have already experienced abuse of some kind. Children who live in families where there is child neglect, for example, are more at risk. Disabled children are 3 times more likely to be victims of sexual abuse, especially if they have difficulties with speech or language. Children can also be at risk when using the internet. Social media, chat rooms and web forums are all used by child sex abusers to groom potential victims.
Sexual abuse can cause serious physical and emotional harm to children both in the short term and the long term. In the short term, children may suffer health issues, such as sexually transmitted infections, physical injuries and unwanted pregnancies.
In the long term, people who have been sexually abused are more likely to suffer with depression, anxiety, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are also more likely to self-harm, become involved in criminal behaviour, misuse drugs and alcohol, and to commit suicide as young adults.
