Child Abuse - What is it

CHILD RAPE & ABUSE
SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN

What Is Sexual Abuse?

Sexual abuse occurs when the parent or caretaker forces a child to confront sexuality in an inappropriate manner. This could include forcing the child to perform sexual acts with the partner or another person; encouraging the child to masturbate or undress in front of others; or making sexual remarks or taunts in the child's presence.

Physical Indications Of Sexual Abuse:

A sexually abused child may have torn, semen-stained or bloody underclothing. The child may have painful bruises, itching, swelling or bleeding in the genital or anal regions of the body. In some cases, the child may contract venereal disease or even become pregnant.

Behavioral Indications Of Sexual Abuse:

Throughout the child's life, certain behavioral patterns develop as a result of sexual abuse. These patterns may remain with the child from one life stage to the next, or may be outgrown and replaced with more age-appropriate behaviors:

Infancy
1. excessive masturbation or insertion of objects into orifices
2. difficulty sleeping, relaxing, and or eating
3. passive and withdrawn, or clingy and fussy

Latency
1. excessive masturbation or insertion of objects into orifices
2. bed-wetting
3. eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia, obesity)
4. avoidance of sports or games
5. seeking out or avoiding adults
6. mentioning a "secret" in the family
7. sexual behavior with other children
8. overly knowledgeable about specific sexual acts

Adolescence
1. Obsessive behavior (e.g. eating disorders, cleanliness, extreme defiance or compliance)
2. Self-destructive behavior (e.g self-mutilation, drug/alcohol abuse, suicidal tendencies)
3. Isolation, fearfulness, or excessive anxiety
4. Promiscuity or prostitution
5. Running away

Adulthood
1. Sexual difficulties
2. Insecurity, impassivity, low self-esteem
3. Eating disorders
4. Drug/alcohol abuse

DAMAGING FORMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

INCEST

Actual calls received from incest victims.

"Daddy's in bed with and R..... He does a lady and man kiss. He's got no clothes on. I don't like it. I told Mum but she said Daddy doesn't," said a nine year old girl. "I told my friend and I sometimes stay over with her so I don't have to be at the house".
This is the most common form of sexual abuse in South African and accounts for more than 80% of all cases.
Incest involves some activity between family members. This may range from fondling to actual intercourse. Usually a father or stepfather, (or father figure) is involved, but incest between mother and son, father and son, or brother and sister, may also occur. Victims may range in age from 3 months old all the way through to 18 years old.
Incest occurs in all social, economic and ethnic groups. In many cases, it continues for years without being reported. Incest is often known about but not acknowledged by other family members. Help is not sought due to feelings of guilt, fear, shame and the possibility of ending up homeless and on the streets.

Causes

There are many factors that set off the initiation of incest, in many cases the perpetrator is frustrated, the sexual relationship between him/her and the spouse has broken down, and he turns to the children for sexual gratification. It can be the result of pressure on the family and a change of roles, the mother leaves or decides that she no longer likes the role of Wife, mother etc, than the perpetrator will look to his daughter to fulfill this role and that will include the sexual side. A general breakdown in the moral fibre of a community, where
self-control is something that is not exercised - as is the case in South Africa. And pedophilia, many sexual offenders are practicing pedophiles and will involve their own children
in their activities, this will also usually include sharing his children with other men that he is associated with.

Effects

Due to the fact that incest is so insidious a crime and almost always takes place of a long period of time, the fear that the child lives with every time the perpetrator comes near him/her is something that causes severe psychological damage. And as it is always perpetrated by the child's father or stepfather there is an extreme feeling of betrayal and guilt coupled with the fact that when they try and tell someone, especially if its there mother, and they are not believed or taken seriously, a terrible feeling of loneliness and despair takes root.

It will undoubtedly cause long-term emotional disturbances and sexual problems.

RAPE

Rape is the violent sexual assault of someone. In the case of rape the perpetrator can be known to the child or can be a stranger. It is a severe problem at the moment, it is currently estimated that a child is raped every 15 minutes in South Africa, this too has far reaching consequences. Rape as with incest has a traumatic effect on a child, a parrticularly brutal rape, can have just the same long term and devastating effect on a child as incest or common sexual assault by someone known to the child.

A child is more likely to report rape though, if committed by a stranger or someone not as close to the child as a direct family member.

Effects

The effects of rape can be measured quite significantly in this country, besides the psychological damage the amount of young girls now ending up HIV positive because of being raped is increasing at an alarming rate.
We will end up with a entire generation of disturbed adults if the tide of child rape is not stemmed immediately.

It Affects Everyone

1. The victim may suffer physical and psychological harm
2. Family and Friends may be angered and outraged - or they may be covering
the problem up and feeling very guilty.
3. All of us share the burden of shattered families, crime drug/alcohol abuse, etc. Which may result from rape or sexual abuse.

YOU CAN DO A LOT TO HELP PREVENT IT

1. By giving children clear, accurate information about sexual abuse.
2. By teaching children how to protect themselves
3. By encouraging children to tell you about any incidents
4. By reporting even suspected cases to proper authorities
5. By never ever ignoring what your child is telling you
You are abusing the child further by not taking the child seriously and doing something about the abuse.

Break the silence, report abuse !!!!

Women Against Child Abuse

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