Gender Differences in the Context and Consequences of Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Child sexual abuse, and particularly the abuse of boys, is now the focus of significant research and attention — especially in light of various inquiries, as many victim-survivors come forward years after their abuse to testify to their abuse by clergy and other institutions. This article examines what the research to date has revealed about gender differences in the dynamics of child sexual abuse and the sequelae for male and female victims. These findings are important in understanding: how males and females experience, respond to and recover from such abuse; and how to protect, prevent, and adequately support both male and female victims of child sexual abuse and their families.