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29 JULY 2009
NO 1467
Sexual abuse risk factors
Many explanations of child sexual abuse have been advanced. Social factors such as lack of opportunity; parent-related factors including background, social position, as well as personality and character traits; child-related factors such as handicaps, behavior and appearance; and situational factors including relations between parents, social isolation and family conflict have all been suggested as possible causes. Many of these suggested factors have not yet been investigated empirically or have not been supported by findings. Specifically, social class and social isolation of the family have so far been found to be unrelated to child sexual abuse.
On the other hand, several risk factors have been identified. Females between the ages of eight and twelve seem to be at the highest risk. Children who are relatively isolated from siblings and friends appear also to be at particular risk. Finally, parent-related factors have been shown to be important:
Girls who are victimized are (1) more likely to have lived without their natural fathers; (2) more likely to have mothers who were employed outside the home; (3) more likely to have mothers who were disabled or ill; (4) more likely to witness conflict between their parents; and (5) more likely to report a poor relationship with one of their parents. Girls who lived with stepfathers were also at increased risk for abuse (Finkelhor, 1986,79).
The effects of sexual abuse
A range of short and long-term effects have been associated with child
sexual abuse. Some effects have been described in the clinical
literature while others are found in empirical studies. Since the late
seventies mental health workers have been finding that "a large number
of their female patients in unselected clinical populations had
experienced sexual assault as children, and that those assaults were
often causally related to later clinical problems" (Bagley, 1984,16). As
well, studies of runaway children, juvenile prostitutes, drug and
substance abusers, and adult rape victims have revealed that as many as
one half of the females in these populations have been the victims of
child sexual assault.
Child victims of sexual abuse suffer physical effects such as venereal disease and pregnancy. In addition, many are tormented by feelings of fear, guilt and shame and become depressed. Frequently their ability to form or maintain relationships with peers and adults becomes impaired. As adults the victims of child sexual abuse exhibit about twice as much mental health impairment as their non-victimized counterparts (Finkelhor, 1986). Specific effects include depression, anxiety, sleep problems, eating disturbances, sexual adjustment problems, low self-esteem, and difficulties in relating.
The severity of these adverse effects varies with the individual and with the circumstances of the abuse. In general, the following circumstances tend to increase the trauma: a long-lasting experience; multiple incidents; the abuser is the father or stepfather; the use of force. One problem in helping victims overcome these adverse effects is that many incidents of sexual abuse are not reported. A major study in Canada (Badgley, 1984) has shown that only 41 percent of female and 26 percent of male victims report the assault. It is likely that a majority of those who do not report the assault do not receive any help with problems which may result. If the rate of timely reporting could be increased, early help could be provided to more victims, thus reducing the overall impact of child sexual abuse.
PETER GABOR
Gabor, P. (1988). Recent
research on child sexual abuse: Implications for child care work.
Journal of Child Care, Special Issue. pp. 42-43.
REFERENCES
Badgely, R. et al.(1984). Report of the Committee on sexual offenses against children. Ottawa. Government of Canada.
Bagley, C. (1984). Child sexual abuse: A child welfare perspective. Unpublished paper.
Finkelhor, D. (1986). Sourcebook on child sexual abuse. Beverly Hills. Sage Publications.
