UNDERSTANDING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS.

UNDERSTANDING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Introduction

The need for this subject matter at this time is apt, basically because child sexual abuse has undoubtedly taken a disturbing dimension in recent times. painfully, society seems oblivious to the damage being done, not just to victims but to society as a whole.

Child sexual abuse is any act that involves the use, employing, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in or assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct or simulation (imitating the behaviour of some situation or some process) of such conduct to produce a visual depiction of such conduct. It is also known as Child Molestation — a form of sexual abuse that involves an adult engaging a child in sexual activities or engaging in sexual activities with a child. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts.

It encompasses many types of sexually abusive acts towards children, including sexual assault (rape), incest, and commercial sexual exploitation of children. The child oft could be approached by an adult to ask for it by pressurising, luring, or drugging.

According to the World Health Organisation, WHO (1999) consultation on Child Abuse Prevention, “Child Sexual Abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he/she does not fully consent to, or for which the Child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the law or social taboos of society. Child Sexual Abuse is evidenced by this activity between a child and an adult or another child (usually a victim of child sexual abuse) who, by age or development, is in a relationship of responsibility, trust, or power, the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the sexual need of the person.

Other perspectives on child sexual abuse as stated by the International Save the Children Alliance, (2008) defines Child Sexual Abuse as “the immediate abusive act against a child and form the basis of exploitation of the child; it includes indecent touching, penetration, and sexual torture, as well as indecent exposure, using sexually explicit language towards a child and showing children pornographic material. People who sexually abuse children may have an emotional or professional relationship with the child, where they exploit their position of trust and power, and the child’s lack of knowledge, third parties having a commercial or other exploitative interest in the child”.

Furthermore, the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opined that Child Sexual Abuse is “any completed or attempted (non-completed) sexual act, sexual contact with or exploitation (i.e. a non-contact sexual interaction) of a child by a caregiver”.

Child sexual abuse can take various forms, some of which include but are not limited to:

Non-contact behaviour such as voyeurism, exposure of private parts, and sexual talk;
Fondling of the private parts/ genitals;
Exposure to pornographic contents, objects, and penile penetration of the genitalia or anus, etc.
Inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity;
Exploitative use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices;
The exploitative use of children in pornographic performance and materials.”

Facts and Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse

By dynamics, I mean ways in which child sexual abuse occurs:

Perpetrators rarely use physical force/violence. They rather manipulate the child’s trust and hide the abuse (for example, you hear things like “I will kill you and your parents and siblings if you tell anyone).
More often than not, the perpetrator is typically a known and trusted caregiver.
Child Sexual Abuse often occurs over a long period.
Child Sexual Abuse usually occurs as repeated episodes that become more invasive (gradually intrusive without right or permission) with time.
Perpetrators usually engage the child in the gradual process of sexualising the relationship over time (grooming).
Incest/intra-familial abuse accounts for about one-third of all child sexual abuse cases.
Child sexual abuse can occur in different settings. It could be in the home, school, or in the community where child labour is common, e.g. hawking.
More concerning is that children now constitute the majority of abusers — this means that children who have been victims of child sexual abuse are the ones abusing other children.

Other ways child sexual abuse is carried out include:

Penetration of the vagina or anus by finger.
Use of objects like candles.
Oral sex.
Touching of the breasts.
Masturbation — as a result of exposure to sexual activities.

What the Data Says

It is widespread.
At least 120 million girls under the age of 20, i.e. about 1 in 10, have been forced to engage in sex or perform the acts. Although the actual figure is likely to be higher (UNICEF).
The global prevalence rate of child sexual abuse has been estimated at 19.7% for females and 7.9% for males.
Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims; approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often fathers, brothers, uncles, and cousins.
Approximately 60% are acquaintances such as friends of the family, babysitters, or neighbours.
Strangers are the offenders in approximately 10% of child sexual abuse cases.
Most child sexual abuse is perpetrated by men.
Studies on female molesters show 14% — 40% of abuse against boys and 6% of abuse against girls.

Root Causes of Child Sexual Abuse

Lack of sex education in the home.
Poor communication — Lack of or breakdown in communication between parents and their children.
Domestic violence
Broken home.
Child labour
Poverty
Illiteracy

Other Contributing Risk Factors for Child Sexual Abuse

This means factors that predispose a child to or make a child vulnerable to sexual abuse. They are as follows:

Being a female, just because the child is a girl or female. Although very rarely do male children constitute a large portion of child victims.
Unaccompanied children — sending children on errands alone.
Children in foster care/adopted children, and step-children
History of abuse
War/armed conflict
Psychological and cognitive vulnerability
Single parenting
Social isolation
Parents with mental illness or alcohol/drug dependency
Unmonitored access to mobile devices and the internet

Perpetrator’s Threats to their Victims

I will kill you
You will die
Your mummy will hate you
Your mummy will beat you
Your mummy will blame you
Your mummy and your daddy will die
He could cut the child, lick the blood, and say, “This is a blood covenant between us, the day you tell is the day you die.”

Physical and Behavioural Indicators of Child Sexual Abuse

There are certain indicators, both physical and behavioural, that tend to point to child sexual abuse. The presence of one or two of these indicators does not necessarily mean abuse. However, professionals like social workers and health care providers rely on these indicators to help in detecting cases of child sexual abuse, especially in children who are non-verbal, i.e. children who cannot speak.

Hence, these indicators must be used with caution, especially in a cases where disclosure is absent or physical findings. Some physical indicators include:

Unexplained genital injury
Regression in behaviour, school performance, or attaining developmental milestones
Inflammation of the vagina/valve
Vagina/penile discharge
Anal complaints (fissure, pain, bleeding)
Pain when urinating
STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection)
Presence of sperm
Pregnancy

Behavioural Indicators

Acute traumatic responses, such as cringy behaviour and irritability, in young children
Sleep disturbance
Problems at school
Depression
Self-esteem issues
Inappropriate sexualised behaviours
Eating disorders

Sexualized Behaviour that Calls for Concern

Kissing with one’s tongue thrust into the other person’s mouth
Fondling one’s own or another person’s breast or genitals
Masturbation
Rhythmic pelvic thrust
Looking out for age-inappropriate sexual behaviours

The Implications of Child Sexual Abuse on the Victim

The implication is divided into three (3) — physical, psychological, and social:

A. Physical/Health

Physical injury
Unwanted pregnancy
Unsafe abortion
Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF)
Gastrointestinal disorders — for example, irritable bowel syndrome, non-ulcer dyspepsia, and chronic abdominal pain
Gynaecological disorder — e.g. chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, menstrual irregularities
Somatisation
Sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, syphilis, viral or bacterial infections, HIV/AIDS
Death — due to suicide.

B. Psychological

Death — due to suicide.
Mental illness
Depression
Anxiety
Low self-esteem
PTSD symptoms — re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, hyperarousal
Loss of social competence
Cognitive impairment
Body image concerns
Guilt and shame
Fear
Withdrawal syndromes
Impaired brain development

C. Social

Deviant behaviours — behaviours outside the norms and values of a society
Drug and Substance Abuse
Poor academic performance
Suicide and self-harm
Difficulties during adolescence (delinquency, teenage pregnancy, low academic achievement)
Marital crisis in the future
Aggression/Hostility
Increased or inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Preventive Measures

Speak out against inappropriate touch
You can talk to a trusted adult — it can be your parents, teacher, your spiritual leader or your wife, your older siblings, or someone you can trust. Some people will believe you
Never sit on anyone’s lap
Imbibe decent dressing culture
Avoid going to places where you can be abused
Do not touch your private body parts

Some Roles Social Workers Play

Identifying and naming the symptoms
Ensuring perpetrators are prosecuted
Designing support and coping strategies for victims and their families
Develop concrete safety and prevention plans
Facilitate the development of a trusting relationship
Mobilise a social support group or network
Design trauma recovery plans or routines such as getting good sleep, exercising, engaging in recreational activities, and promoting healthy eating patterns, all of which are geared towards mitigating self-harm or suicidal tendencies.
Ensuring the safety of the environment — home, school, etc.
Community and school outreach on awareness creation of child sexual abuse.

Recommendation:
For practical prevention tips, recognising warning signs, and supporting survivors, you should read this helpful guide by Andreozzi + Foote: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention & Support Guide

Conclusion

Child sexual abuse is a global health concern and a major social problem; hence, it must be addressed at its onset or once it is observed. We must remember that no child is safe until all children are safe.

If you found this informative, please like, comment, and share with loved ones.

Information is not only power, it is illuminating — Lillian Anyebe