Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse is one of the most severe forms of sexual violence, being accompanied by a variety of symptoms of adaptation and concealment of the abuse.

Axiom: A child cannot in any way consent to any form of sexual activity.

When a perpetrator engages with a child this way, they are committing a crime that can have lasting effects on the victim for years. Child sexual abuse does not necessarily include physical contact between a perpetrator and a child.

Some forms of child sexual abuse include (but are not limited to):

• Exhibitionism, or exposing the genital organs to a minor;
• Unwanted caressing or touching with a sexual connotation;
• Sexual intercourse;
• Masturbation in the presence of a minor or forcing the minor to masturbate;
• Obscene conversations, phone calls, text messages, or other digital interactions;
• Producing, owning, or sharing pornographic images or movies of children;
• Sexual exploitation;
• Any other contact of a sexual nature that involves a minor.

What do perpetrators of child sexual abuse look like?

The majority of perpetrators are someone the child or family knows. Approximately 93% of victims under the age of 18 know the perpetrator. A perpetrator does not have to be an adult to harm a child, and they can have any relationship to the child, they can be a family member (parent, grandparent, sibling of a parent, brother, sister, whether related by blood or adoption), can be an educator, professor or school administrator, doctor, medical assistant or a police officer.
 
Perpetrators can manipulate child victims to stay quiet about the sexual abuse using a number of different tactics. Often, a perpetrator will use their position of power over the victim to coerce or intimidate the child. Moreover, sexual perpetrators can also threaten children if they refuse to participate or show their intention to tell someone, through terror and control tactics, showing that there are other accomplices. In many cases, the victim is induced to „amnesia“ about the reality of the facts.
 
They might tell the child that the activity is normal or that they enjoyed it. An abuser may make threats if the child refuses to participate or plans to tell another adult. Child sexual abuse is not only a violation of physical intimacy, but a violation of trust and/or authority.

What are the warning signs?

Child sexual abuse isn’t always easy to spot, and some victims may not exhibit obvious warning signs. The perpetrator could be someone the child has known for a long time or trust, which may make the crime even harder to notice.

Consider some of the following common warning signs

Physical signs:

• Bleeding, bruises, swelling in genital area;
• Bloody, torn, or stained underclothes;
• Difficulty walking or sitting;
• Frequent urinary or yeast infections;
• Pain, itching, or burning in genital area. 

Behavioral signs:

• Changes in hygiene, such as refusing to bathe or bathing excessively;
• Develops phobias;
• Exhibits signs of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder;
• Expresses suicidal thoughts, especially in teenagers;
• Trouble in school, such as absences or drops in grades;
• Inappropriate sexual knowledge or behaviors;
• Nightmares or bed-wetting;
• Overly protective and concerned for siblings, or assumes a caretaker role;
• Returns to regressive behaviors, such as thumb sucking;
• Voluntary disappearances (running away) from home or school;
• Self-harms;
• Avoids or refuses physical contact (threatened by the approach or touch of other people).

 Psychosomatic symptoms:

• redness, bruising in non-erogenous areas;
• change in the color of urine;
• bad breath;
• accentuated corners of the mouth (presence of pathogens);
• inflammations or ulcers on the face, mouth, oral cavity, teeth;
• unnatural movements of the jaw;
• spontaneous bruxism;
• dark circles;
• muscle weakness;
• lack of physical and mental energy;
• excessively and constantly enlarged pupils;
• absent/lost/scared/sad look. 

If you want to talk about sexual violence with a professional ready to help, send an email to: help@asistentavictime.ro