Child Sexual Abuse // National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Child Sexual Abuse // National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: "Child Sexual Abuse
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
Julia Whealin, Ph.D.

Child sexual abuse includes a wide range of sexual behaviors that take place between a child and an older person. These sexual behaviors are intended to erotically arouse the older person, generally without consideration for the reactions or choices of the child and without consideration for the effects of the behavior upon the child. Behaviors that are sexually abusive often involve bodily contact, such as in the case of sexual kissing, touching, fondling of genitals, and oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse. However, behaviors may be sexually abusive even if they don't involve contact, such as in the case of genital exposure ('flashing'), verbal pressure for sex, and sexual exploitation for purposes of prostitution or pornography.
Who are the perpetrators of child sexual abuse?

Legal definitions of what constitutes child sexual abuse usually require that the perpetrator be older than the victim. For example, in some states perpetrators must be at least five years older than their victims for the behavior to be considered child sexual abuse."

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posted by Robert Heard at 2:06 PM