The violence suffered by girls, boys and adolescents is a global fact that does not distinguish culture, social class, level of education, age or ethnic origin. There are many typologies of child abuse: psychological abuse, neglect, physical abuse, exposure to violence, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Ramirez and Fernandez, 2011).
From the perspective of public health, sexual abuse is defined as a sexual activity, where a minor person is used who is not evolutionarily prepared, nor has the capacity to understand and give consent (WHO, 2002). Although age is considered a key criterion, what will be defining will be the existence of a lack of understanding of the meaning of sexual activity and the person’s inability to refuse such a situation (Finkelhor, 1997). In this sense, Save the Children Spain (2012) considers that sexual abuse, in addition to being constituted by any sexual activity imposed by someone of legal age on a girl, boy or adolescent, can also be imposed by a minor on another minor, when the first is considerably older than the victim.
Currently, sexual abuse continues to be an invisible reality. But to the extent that the place of women in society is vindicated, that gender violence is spoken more openly and that the patriarchal vision of the world is focused on, child abuse is a reality that is becoming established. in society and this leads to the reporting of thousands of cases.
The discovery of child sexual abuse entails serious consequences for the victim and their family and social group.
Sexual abuse is difficult to recognize, it can happen for years without suspicion since the aggressor issues threats to the victims about the consequences, thus paralyzing them, preventing them from asking for help and generating in them feelings of guilt, devaluation, disbelief and hopelessness.
The discovery of child sexual abuse entails serious consequences for the victim and their family and social group. The protection that can be given to the girl or boy and the prognosis of her recovery will depend on how early it is detected, the intervention of specialists and family support, who may or may not believe the minor.
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What to do if suspected or revealed
The Foundation for the Study and Research of Women (2016) developed a very complete guide of guidance and resources available in Buenos Aires (Argentina) with instructions on how to listen to girls and boys to detect sexual abuse and how to act to protect and protect for their psychological, physical and social integrity. The proposed steps are 5:
- Appropriate listening should be encouraged based on the person’s age, maturity and specific situation, since when they are encouraged to break the pact of silence that their abuser imposed on them, not listening to them or doubting their story is another form of abuse and revictimization, causing helplessness and hopelessness. Adults should know that girls and boys, in the vast majority of cases, do not lie or fantasize, that they cannot reproduce situations of sexual victimization that they have not suffered.
- The second step is to file a complaint. The adult should be recommended to pay close attention to the steps of the civil and criminal process and inform themselves about how they should be carried out. Thus, if they are not respected, the person in charge of protection may demand compliance with good practices. Furthermore, the family is prepared for this process as an arduous task that can discourage or confuse, but highlighting the importance it has for their sons or daughters, who need justice to intervene in the crime.
- The complaint enables immediate assistance, by an interdisciplinary team that will evaluate the risk of the situation and provide psychological support in order to guarantee the protection and health of the victim. It is always the adult who must report the reported events. The team should not interrogate the girl or boy, but if a spontaneous testimony occurs, it should be recorded since it is often the only story the victim gives. Parallel to this process, injured minors must receive medical and psychological assistance. This assistance is aimed at containment, not expert assessment of what was reported.
- Once the report has been made, protective measures must be taken as the case warrants, ordering precautionary processes regarding the offender, which guarantee the safety of the victim.
- Then the civil process and the criminal investigation begin, among other simultaneous actions where the minor and the family must have an adequate support system that provides support and the necessary resources to face them.
Evaluation and treatment
Child sexual abuse mainly alters the emotional dimension, both in the short and long term, but it also affects other areas of development. Some authors group its consequences around four factors that help understand the behaviors of infant victims of this abuse: traumatic sexualization, stigmatization, betrayal and lack of a sense of power (Finkelhor and Browne, 1986).
The evaluation and intervention process must take into account that the phenomenon affects people at different levels and that the course of the symptoms will depend on innumerable factors and circumstances, as many as possible responses to the traumatic event (Ramirez and Fernandez, 2011).
PTSD is the most frequently analyzed problem, although it is not its only consequence. Treatments aimed at minors have also focused on anxiety problems, sexualized behaviors, self-esteem problems, depression, and disruptive and antisocial behaviors. According to the assessment of a meta-analysis on the effects obtained by different types of treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy, focused on both the family and on girls or boys, produces greater therapeutic effects on traumatic symptoms (Harvey and Taylor, 2010).
Bibliographic references:
Foundation for the Study and Research of Women (2016) Sexual abuse in childhood. Orientation guide and resources available in CABA and the Province of Buenos Aires.
Harvey, S.T., & Taylor, J.E. (2010). A meta-analysis of the effects of psychotherapy with sexually abused children and adolescents. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 517-535
López, Orjuela; Bartholomew, Liliana. “Sexual violence against boys and girls. Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. Guide to basic material for the training of professionals. Save the Children. Spain, 2012.
Ramirez, C. and Fernández, A. (2011). Child sexual abuse: A review based on empirical evidence. Behavioral Psychology / Behavioral Psychology. Vol. 19, No. 1. pp. 7-39
World Health Organization (2002). World report on violence and health: summary. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.