Overview of Child Sexual Abuse (From American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry, Volume 10, 1991, P 283-307, Allan Tasman, Stephen M. Goldfinger, eds. -- See NCJ-137524)

• NCJ Number: 137525
• Author(s): J R Conte
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 25 pages
• Sale Source: American Psychiatric Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This overview chapter of child sexual abuse discusses the diverse definitions of child sexual abuse used by mental health professionals and the legal system, describes the characteristics of sexual abuse to which children are exposed, identifies the characteristics of sexual offenders in terms of both psychiatric diagnoses and classification systems, and surveys the programs designed to prevent and treat abuse.

Abstract

Sexual abuse in childhood emerges as a common experience that is associated with mental health problems both in childhood and subsequently throughout development. Estimates of the prevalence of child sexual abuse in 1986 ranged from 6 to 62 percent for females and from 3 to 31 percent for males. Available knowledge fails to support a stable set of characteristics of either sexual use of children or adults who sexually use children. Prevention efforts directed toward children involve touch discrimination, behavioral strategies, and assertiveness. Current research on the validation process tends to deal with the nature of false reports, anatomical dolls, and children as witnesses. Validating allegations of child sexual abuse presents the most problems for the mental health professional. 1 table and 84 references