Childhood Sexual Abuse

Definitions:

Sexual Assault

Child sexual assault refers to any sexual activity imposed on a child through coercion, manipulation or force. Sexual activities can include but not be limited to; exhibitionism, fondling, intercourse or oral copulation. Child sexual assault may be committed by a stranger or more likely by someone known to the child. Similarly, child sexual assault can be a single incident or take place repeatedly for a number of years.

Two terms that are often used to
describe sexual assault are:

Incest

Any sexual relationship between two members of the same household. It does not have to be a closely related person; it can be any member of the household who has access to and power over that child. A father, mother, step-parent, uncle, cousin, sibling, in-laws, live-in partner, grandparents etc.

Molest

Any sexual relationship between an adult and child who are not closely related. It can range from an encounter with a man who exposed himself, to fondling by the next door neighbor, to sexual intercourse by a stranger. Child molest can include any manual, oral or genital contact that is imposed on a child. Acts are non-consensual and include any explicit sexual conduct between adult and child.

Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse

A predictable pattern usually occurs when there are sexual encounters between a child and an adult. The activity usually occurs in five separate phases:

• Engagement phase-the perpetrator needs access to the child and will try to fond the opportunity to be alone with him/her.
• Sexual interaction phase-the perpetrator may begin by exposing himself wholly or in part. It then leads to fondling, kissing, then penetration. Not all cases include penetration.
• Secrecy phase-sexual abuse is followed by guilt provoking demands for secrecy and/or threats of terrible harm towards the child if the secret is revealed. Imposing a secret is the primary task for the perpetrator. Some children never tell anyone and some only disclose it many years later.
• Disclosure phase-two types: accidental-the secret is revealed because of external circumstances (injury, pregnancy etc.) and purposeful - it is most often the child who reveals the secret.
• Suppression phase-the family reacts by suppressing publicity, information and intervention. The non-offending parent will deny disturbances affecting the child. Parents want the children to forget about the abuse because they want to forget about it themselves.

*Hopefully the family will be able to move forward to deal with the legalities of the abuse (court hearing etc.) and then move towards healing (counseling for child and family members).

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Teen Advocate

County-Wide (360) 376-5979

24 Hour Crisis Line

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Facts…

The 2001 Washington State Sexual Assault Incident Survey found “Nearly 80% of reported sexual assaults occurred prior to age 18.”