SEXUAL ABUSE

A) Pedophilia
B) Incest
C) Rape

What is child abuse?

Child sexual abuse is all sexual contact, whether physical or psychological, between an adult and a child (or between a child and another child/adolescent) who is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power, with the intention of  the activity being to gratify the sexual needs of the abuser.

Physical abuse: being coerced, pressured or forced into sexual contact by inappropriate touching, rape or attempted rape and/or using a child to create pornography.

Psychological abuse: indecent exposure, talking about sex in a manner designed to shock the child or allowing the child to watch or hear sexual acts or materials. www.kristihouse.org/

Did you know?

° The majority of perpetrators of sexual abuse of children are under the age of 18. (Stop it now!)
° Most assaults take place in the home of the child or the offender. Girls are especially vulnerable. (Unicef)

What you can do. Make the difference!

• Ensure that sexual violence, harassment, and other sexual misconduct in schools is prohibited
• Ensure that children in primary and secondary school receive education and information on the risks of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, as well as the means to protect themselves, adapted to their evolving capacity
• Take appropriate legal action against teachers who sexually assault or rape students, and ensure that individuals who have been convicted of sexual assault or rape are not permitted to teach in the school system

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A) Pedophilia

What is pedophilia?

Pedophilia is a psycho-sexual disorder in which the fantasy or actual act of engaging in sexual activity with pre-pubertal children is the preferred or exclusive means of achieving sexual excitement and gratification. It may be directed toward children of the same sex or children of the other sex. Some pedophiles are attracted to both boys and girls. Some are attracted only to children, while others are attracted to adults as well as to children.

The focus of pedophilia is sexual activity with a child. Many courts interpret the age reference to mean children under 18. Most mental health professionals, however, confine the definition of pedophilia to sexual activity with prepubescent children, who are generally aged 13 or younger.

The sexual behavior involved in pedophilia cover a range of activities that may or may not involve the use of force. Some pedophiles limit their behaviors to exposing themselves or masturbating in front of the child, or fondling or undressing the child, but without genital contact. Others, however, compel the child to participate in oral sex or full genital intercourse. www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html

What you can do. Make a difference!

Remember you have a right to physical integrity and control over your own body.

• Use your right to say ‘no’ to anyone who tries to touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or afraid
• Learn the names of your body parts and learn the difference between good touch and bad touch. No one should touch you in ways or places that make you feel bad
• Run away if a stranger or someone you know tries to harm you. Run towards public, populated areas and get help
• Yell and shout if someone is trying to hurt you
• If you are aware of a student/friend who is having sexual relations with a teacher, you must report them to the principal or higher education authorities, and if the boy or girl is under 16, also report the crime to the police (World Report on Violence Against Children)
• Use a hotline or go to a place where you can talk about the abuse and get help
• Become aware of possible strategies used by exploiters (isolation, befriending, creating dependence, etc.)
• Explore the issue of abusive and potentially dangerous relationships

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B) Incest

What is incest?

Incest is defined as sexual relations of any kind perpetrated by a biologically or non-biologically related person functioning in the role of a family member or caregiver. Trusted adults that tend to sexually abuse children and teenagers include: fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, stepparents, grandparents, coaches, baby sitters, clergy, or teachers.

As with sexual abuse, incest is frequently accomplished by physical force or by coercion, and considered by many experts to be a particularly damaging form of sexual abuse given the victim’s relationship of trust and dependency on his/her perpetrator.  Incest can include sexual acts as: Non-contact acts – sexual comments, exposure, voyeurism, showing pornographic materials, sexual acts, touching, intimate kissing, fondling, etc. 

Some cases can also include group sex with children, child pornography, child prostitution and child sexual exploitation.

The traditional definition of incest is now evolving to take into consideration any betrayal of trust and the imbalance or abuse of power in relationships. www.incestabuse.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=incestabuse&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coolnurse.com%2Fsexual_abuse.htm

Did you know?

° Incest/sexual abuse crosses all socio-economic, race and class barriers. It happens in both rural and urban environments
° Incest can go on for years prior to discovery. It is not confined to one child but usually involves children sequentially by age
° In some parts of the Arab world and Southern India, 50 per cent of marriages take place between first cousins. Also in Southern India it is still
common for a maternal uncle (mother’s brother) to marry the first daughter.

What you can do. Make a difference!

• Remember that it is never your fault if someone hurts or abuses you
• Remember to tell a grown-up if you are hurt
• Learn to say “no” and that speak out
• Know that incest is a family tragedy and a legal offence
• Know and promote the rights of the child
• Speak out to end incest, still shrouded in silence
• Know that your body belongs to you. If someone touches you in a way you do not like, in a way that makes you feel funny or uncomfortable inside, or in a way that you think is wrong or that your parents would think is wrong, it is okay to say “No”
• Raise awareness that denouncing incest is a duty
• Join the Stop Incest movement and become a spokesperson for children
• Volunteer in any way such as telephone calls, research, etc.
• Help fundraise for organizations that wish to educate the public
• Know about common withdrawal symptoms, e.g. depression, sleeping and eating disorders, self-mutilation, phobias, psychosomatic symptoms, school problems, excessive bathing, poor hygiene, etc.

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C) Rape

What is rape?

Rape is forced sexual intercourse with a person who is younger than the statutory age of consent: a person who, under the law, is incapable of consenting to sex. Minors and physically and mentally incapacitated persons are most often deemed incapable of consenting to sex under many rape statutes. These persons are considered deserving of special protection because they are especially vulnerable due to their youth or condition. Statutory rape is different from other types of rape in that force and lack of consent are not necessary for conviction. A defendant may be convicted of statutory rape even if the complainant explicitly consented to the sexual contact and the actor used no force. In contrast, other forms of rape generally occur when a person overcomes another person by force and without the person’s consent.
www.legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/statutory+rape

Statutory rape is a leading cause of teen pregnancies. Rape is increasingly used is warfare as both a weapon and a method of durably humiliating the enemy,thus exacerbating violence. www.nphf.org/index.php?click=programs&details=18

What you can do. Make a difference!

• If your “friend” or someone tells you he raped someone, report him to the police.