Incidence Of Child Sexual Abuse Research Articles

“I lived but I wasn’t alive”: Examining responses of formal systems to child sexual abuse as described in survivors’ testimonies to the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a prominent global issue with a multitude of negative health, social, and economic consequences. However, this abuse is often under-reported and misunderstood, alongside faults within the systems built to support CSA survivors. There has been a global effort to establish CSA inquiries investigating past incidents of CSA, using the findings to inform and reform policy and practice and pursue justice for CSA survivors. In 2020, The Israeli Independent Public Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was founded, collecting 505 rich, diverse, and informative testimonies from adult survivors of CSA in Israel. The current study analyzes the 505 testimonies to explore the ways formal systems of support in Israel responded to CSA survivors and how these responses impacted survivors. Inductive thematic analysis was performed, yielding three main themes: 1) displays of how formal systems failed to respond to CSA, 2) mechanisms behind the failures of formal systems in their responses to CSA, and 3) consequences of the failures of formal systems to respond to CSA. This study demonstrates the tremendous impact formal systems’ responses can have on survivors, underscoring the urgent need for a systematic change in how CSA survivors are treated. Current systems have led to the violation of children’s rights, re-traumatization of survivors, and even discouraged survivors from seeking help after abuse. This study concludes that many adaptations must be made to formal systems’ current responses to CSA in Israel to improve support for CSA survivors, advance child protection, and recognize the unique needs of minority communities.

CSA-Forecaster: Stacked Model for Forecasting Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse is a pervasive and distressing issue that poses serious threats to the well-being and development of children. Early identification and prevention of such incidents are crucial for ensuring child safety and protection. In this study, we investigate the application of stacked machine learning models for the forecasting of child sexual abuse cases. Data on child sexual abuse incidents were gathered from StatBank Denmark and used in this analysis. The geographical coordinates of the municipalities were incorporated as part of the descriptive analysis to examine the distribution and prevalence of child abuse cases. Our approach incorporates a stacked ensemble framework that combines the XGBoost, LSTM, and Random Forest algorithms. By leveraging the strength of individual models and capturing diverse patterns in the data, the stacked model aims to improve prediction performance. Our experimental results demonstrate that the CSA-Forecaster model outperforms individual models in forecasting child sexual abuse incidents. The proposed model achieved an RMSE of 0.094, MAE of 0.0712, MAPE of 0.1557, and R2 of 0.8028, indicating robust performance. The outcomes of this research have significant repercussions for the creation of proactive interventions and support systems. Child protection agencies and experts might be equipped to more effectively allocate resources and potentially prevent future abuse instances by employing machine learning models.

"We Need to Raise Awareness and Never Give Up": Israeli Druze and Muslim Arab Kindergarten Teachers' Proactivity When Facing the Sexual Abuse of Their Students.

Kindergarten teachers are expected to lead the intervention process in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) in their kindergarten. This study examines the proactive role of Druze and Muslim Arab kindergarten teachers in addressing and coping with the CSA of their kindergarten students in Israel. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to investigate the semi-structured interviews conducted with eight Druze Arab and six Muslim Arab kindergarten teachers. Three distinct themes were revealed. The first theme described the participants' fear and concern for their personal children and themselves when dealing with CSA incidents involving their students. The second and third themes described their proactive coping on two fronts: (1) inside their homes to protect their own children and (2) as educators within religious communities, using professional and religious principles to support CSA survivors and raise awareness among parents. The results emphasized the personal burden on kindergarten teachers coping with CSA in their kindergarten and, as mainly expressed by Druze kindergarten teachers, the contribution of religious values to CSA intervention and prevention processes among their students and communities. Thus, there is a need for comprehensive support that considers ethnic and religious characteristics and will be available to kindergarten teachers facing CSA in their kindergarten.

Sexual Abuse of Street Children in Pakistan: Legal Protection Under International and National Law

This study covers the social and legal dimensions of sexual abuse encountered by street children in Pakistan. It aims to elucidate the underlying reasons and contributory factors to child sexual abuse within the nation. This study employed qualitative methods, which involved analyzing data from primary sources such as acts of parliament and relevant journal articles. It highlights the exploitation of street children through prostitution, pornography, trafficking, and sex tourism. Therefore, it explored various manifestations of child sexual abuse both within street settings and beyond, alongside their foundational causes in Pakistani society. The study addresses the issue of sexual abuse among street children from two perspectives. Initially, it examines the different forms, prevalence, causes, and consequences of such abuse. Subsequently, it assesses the efficacy of both international and national laws and policies designed to counteract child sexual abuse. Despite the existence of legal frameworks in Pakistan aimed at addressing this issue, they are critiqued for being inadequate and inconsistent. The paper advocates for the introduction of more stringent legislation and enhanced trial transparency as measures to curb the incidence of child sexual abuse effectively. Updating and reinforcing existing legal provisions could significantly reduce the prevalence of such abuse in society.

Child Sexual Abuse in Schools in India: A Critical Analysis

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the types and prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) in India, with a focus on its widespread presence throughout the educational system. It also aims to identify and address societal, cultural, and familial risk factors for CSA. The report argues for increased awareness of minors' safety and rights, particularly those of girls, throughout their schooling years. Theoretical reference: This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, including findings from psychology, sociology, and education. It combines trauma theory, child development, and gender studies to examine the impact of CSA on minors in the educational context. Method: The study adopts a mixed-method approach, integrating qualitative interviews with survivors, instructors, and parents with a quantitative survey to examine CSA beliefs and knowledge levels. To obtain relevant insights, data is evaluated using thematic coding and statistical approaches. Result and conclusion: The study demonstrates a worrying incidence of CSA inside the Indian education system, emphasizing the critical need for intervention. It addresses significant risk factors, emphasizing the importance of education in protecting children. The findings highlight the need of effective reporting procedures and due process in protecting children's rights and safety. Implications of Research: This study emphasizes the need of educational institutions prioritizing minors' safety and well-being. It promotes the adoption of clear, accessible reporting systems as well as strong preventive initiatives. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of knowing and addressing teachers' and parents' views and knowledge levels in order to create a safe workplace. Originality: This study adds to the current body of knowledge by providing a thorough assessment of CSA inside the Indian school system. It gives deep insights into the special issues faced by minors, particularly girls, as well as effective preventative and intervention solutions. This research also emphasizes the critical role of educators and parents in fostering a safer learning environment.

Child Sexual Abuse in Nigeria: Exploring Vulnerability and Prevention from a Policing Perspective

To date, literature on vulnerabilities of children and prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA) has relied on the contributions of child-care professionals, health practitioners, and other social workers, excluding police officers. The purpose of this study is to draw on the experiences and expert opinions of police officers in exploring the vulnerabilities of children to sexual abuse and prescribing preventive measures. Officers’ engagement is premised on their collaborative work with social service agents in improving responses to crimes of violence against children. This qualitative study was conducted with 24 police detectives of the sexual offenses units in the six zonal police commands of southwest Nigeria. From the thematic analysis of their narratives, findings indicated a link between socio-cultural and religious beliefs and children’s exposure to sexual abuse. Participants indicated believe that there is a growing number of men who are preferentially or solely sexually attracted to prepubescent females. In addressing CSA, participants suggested a specialist approach to policing CSA, abolition of child marriage, community engagement in CSA policing, and legal instrumentations to govern socio-cultural practices. The study invite research that triangulates the perspectives of parents, community elders, and religious leaders in communities where considerable incidents of CSA have been reported.

The perspective of Teachers and Parents Regarding Child Sexual Abuse Incidents in Rural Areas, in Indonesia

Background: Child sexual abuse incidents are a highly prevalent phenomenon. About 120 million children under the age of 20 have experienced forced sexual initiation or other initiation actions. This incident is mostly performed by the closest people such as family and neighbors. The perspective of parents and teachers views attention is needed to sexual abuse incidents of children, its causes, and preventive efforts. Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the perspective of teachers and parents regarding the incidence, causes, and efforts to prevent sexual abuse in children. Method: The method used was qualitative with a case study approach. Results: The perspective of teachers and parents is that the sexual abuse incident towards children in Sidrap Regency is mostly experienced by children aged between 6 to 10 years.

Improving professional practice in the investigation and management of intrafamilial child sexual abuse: Qualitative analysis of serious child protection reviews

BackgroundLocal multi-agency case reviews are regularly held in England when children have suffered significant harm from abuse or neglect, including from child sexual abuse (CSA). Most CSA takes place within families, is common but under-reported and can cause long-term harm. ObjectiveThe aim was to analyse English child protection reviews relating to intrafamilial CSA to identify improvements for professional practice. Participants and settingLocal Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (LCSPRs) and Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) relating to serious incidents of intrafamilial CSA occurring between 01 April 2017 and 31 March 2020. MethodsLCSPRs and SCRs were obtained from the National Case Review Repository and thematically analysed. ResultsThere were 243 reviews, of which 25 featured intrafamilial CSA. The main themes related to perpetrators, vulnerable families, and professional practice. Half of perpetrators were known by services to have previously abused children, but issues with professional practice enabled them to continue. Most children did not disclose CSA verbally showing challenging or sexualised behaviour; but professionals lacked knowledge and confidence on how to intervene without verbal disclosure, which limited safeguarding actions. Non-engagement by families with services was common, with some non-abusing parents complicit in abuse and deception. Significant neglect occurred in half the families, which diverted professional attention away from CSA. ConclusionCSA is deliberate abuse of children involving considerable deception by perpetrators in contrast to some other types of child abuse. This difference in abuser behaviour makes child protection more difficult, particularly when professionals do not recognise and respond to children's non-verbal disclosures.

Implications of the POCSO Act and determinants of child sexual abuse in India: insights at the state level

Child sexual abuse is a worldwide phenomenon, and India is not an exception. The magnitude of this grave crime is underrated because of under-reporting. The reality is that the incidence of child sexual abuse has reached epidemic proportions in India. In 2021 only there were 53,874 cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012. To enable the all-around protection of children, the Indian government administrated the “Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)” Act of 2012. The act is a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to protect children from crimes including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography. The degree to which this act has improved child protection is therefore an important issue for interrogation. Here, we consider the implications of the POCSO Act (2012) in enhancing children’s protection from sexual abuse and pin-point the role of quality of life together with other social, economic, and demographic determinants in foreshortening POCSO incidences. The empirical analysis of the paper is conducted based on secondary data compiled from National Crime Records Bureau. Our empirical results reveal that the POCSO Act has reduced the Growth rate of incidents of sexual offences against children in India from 4.681% to −4.611. Moreover, our empirical results also reveal that by enhancing the quality of life it is possible to restrict the POCSO incidences across Indian states. In addition, favourable sex-ratio, the increased gross enrolment ratio at the elementary level, the improvement in the judiciary and Public Safety Score of the state also enables the state to restrict the POCSO incidences. Based on our empirical result we recommend that future policies could include, for instance, aiming to improve the quality of life as well as the law and order conditions of the state, and increasing the enrolment of the girl children in higher education.

Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in South Africa: Assessing the Role of Parents, Community Leaders, Educators, and Social Workers

Child sexual abuse is a global problem and is prevalent in South Africa. Child sexual abuse significantly harms the victims. This study looked at child sexual abuse prevention, focusing on the community, school system, and social workers. A mixed methods research method was used. Data were collected from 115 questionnaire respondents, of which 15 in-depth interview participants were selected. The sample was selected using purposive sampling and stratified random sampling techniques. Low reporting of incidents is hindering the effective response to child sexual abuse. The study revealed the significant role parents and community members could play in preventing child sexual abuse. The results also show that the school system plays a crucial role in educating children about inappropriate touches, discussing prevention skills with children, and encouraging children to report incidents of child sexual abuse. The study found that limited training for educators was a significant obstacle in the school system. Social workers play their part through advocacy and awareness campaigns and assisting the police during investigations. The study recommends a multi-sectorial approach to encourage reporting of child sexual abuse cases and training educators on responding to child sexual abuse.

How does religiosity affect the richness of child forensic testimonies? Comparing the narratives of sexual abuse victims from three Jewish groups in Israel

Forensic interviews with children have a vital role in promoting justice. Given that in most child sexual abuse incidents, there is no physical evidence or witnesses other than the children, their testimonies are crucial. Accordingly, children are required to provide detailed testimonies rich in forensically relevant details. The vast majority of studies on the richness of children's testimonies have examined the impact of gender and age on abuse characteristics. The current study spotlights the impact of children‘s religiosity on the richness of their testimonies. The sample comprised 234 forensic interviews with children belonging to three Jewish religious groups in Israel: secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox. All interviews were coded for both forensic question type (open, directive, option-posing questions) as well as the number of forensically relevant details the children provided (richness of testimony). The results indicate a correlation between the children’s religiosity and richness of testimony provided, with secular children providing richer testimonies and ultra-Orthodox children providing the fewest relevant details. The discussion addresses two clashes between the forensic interview and the child’s religious identity: using direct sexual terminology and disclosing child sexual abuse within a religious community. The key conclusion of the current study is the urgent need to better adapt forensic interviews to the context of the children’s lives to avoid adverse impacts for the involved children and their surroundings.

Is the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion Associated With Reported Incidents of Child Sexual Abuse?

There is substantial evidence that adequate access to healthcare among low-income adults through the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion mitigates risk factors associated with childhood maltreatment, including parental financial insecurity, substance use, and poor mental health. Indeed, studies identified reduced reports of child neglect in states that expanded Medicaid, relative to those that did not. However, it is unknown whether Medicaid expansion is associated with reported child sexual abuse (CSA). We present findings from a study evaluating the association of Medicaid expansion with incidents of CSA reported to child protective services. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we analyzed data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System to examine the effects of state-level adoption of the Medicaid expansion on CSA reports per 100,000 children across 2008-2018. Results indicated no statistically significant association between Medicaid expansion and CSA incidents. We discuss potential reasons for differential association of macro-level policies on types of child maltreatment.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention: Parental Discussion, Protective Practices and Attitudes.

Understanding parental practices and attitudes regarding child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention could be used to improve CSA prevention, but little information is available. In this study, we summarise survey data collected from 248 Australian and UK parents (87% female) with at least one child aged 6-11 years (M = 8.6, SD = 1.8). This is the first study to quantify parental use of protective practices, other than prevention education, which may guard against CSA. Parental media mediation, which may safeguard against online dangers, was another unique focus of this study. Participants reported their discussion of sensitive topics with their children including CSA; behaviors that may reduce the incidence of CSA (e.g., monitoring, supervision, delegation of care and checking-in with the child); mediation of their child's media use; and attitudes towards CSA prevention education. Parents reported discussing sexual abuse less than other sensitive topics such as abduction dangers, drugs, and death but more than issues surrounding puberty, sex and pornography. Parents reported using high levels of protective behaviours, however some areas of concern were revealed. Of concern was the low-moderate level of parental media mediation, with substantial numbers of children potentially exposed to online risks such as using devices unsupervised in bedrooms or chatting to individuals unknown to their parents and not having their devices checked for concerning content. Almost all parents were supportive of CSA prevention education and felt they should provide this education. However, two-thirds of parents thought CSA education may be associated with harms for the child and two-thirds of parents believed children could prevent their own abuse. Reported results will aid in our understanding of which areas of parenting could be strengthened to create safer environments for children. This research has particularly highlighted the need for parents to be more protective around their children's access to online devices.

Current of Child Sexual Abuse in Asia: A Systematic Review of Prevalence, Impact, Age of First Exposure, Perpetrators, and Place of Offence

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a serious global problem and challenge for all people because it increases the risk of various issues. AIM: This study investigated the CSA in Asian countries focusing on prevalence rates, impact, victim’s age of first exposure, type of CSA, perpetrator, and places of CSA offence. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Medline, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, ClinicalKey, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and manual search for studies published between January 2011 and November 2020. Only articles related to CSA in Asia were included in this review. RESULTS: The results showed that prevalence of CSA ranged from 2.2% - 94% for girls and 1.7% - 49.5% for boys. The prevalence rates for non-contact abuse were 12.6% - 56.5% for girls and 0.7% - 68.7% for boys; contact abuse was 5.3% - 67.2% for girls and 2.2% - 53.3% for boys; penetrating abuse was 0.5% - 88.24% for girls and 1.7% - 57.1% for boys. The findings reported most victims’ age of first exposure was preteen. The rate of the violation occurring in the victim’s house was 6.1% - 41.9%; most CSA perpetrators are known by victims. This study reported adverse impacts on CSA victims such as psychological, health, and physical disorders, and changes in behavior. In addition, other findings were found, including recovery, perceptions, values, causes, and expectations of victims of CSA. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of CSA in Asia is still high and the age of the first victims is early adolescence. The majority of victims are women who already know the perpetrator, and taboo cultural factors are thought to play a role in increasing CSA in Asia. The results indicate the need to develop CSA prevention efforts that involve culture.

Addressing the issue of child sexual abuse in Pakistan: A conceptual analysis

Drawing on academic and government literature and the authors’ professional experience in working with child sexual abuse (CSA), this article details the current issues in Pakistan within a global context of Asia. This discussion addresses the context of CSA in Pakistan, causes and incidence of CSA, reporting of CSA, lack of effective structures to protect children, public education for CSA, and finally discusses the example of Punjab Province in Pakistan and its approach to dealing with CSA. The article contributes to an understanding of current reporting, intervention, and treatment of victims of CSA in Pakistan from a social work/policy perspective.

Children's Peritraumatic Responses During Sexual Abuse Incidents: Exploring the Narratives of Children From Different Ethnoreligious Groups in Israel.

The peritraumatic response of children during incidents of child sexual abuse (CSA) is a neglected construct in the literature. Despite the widespread use of the fight-flight-freeze model, recent studies have shown that in the unique context of child abuse, additional peritraumatic responses could be relevant. The current mixed-methods study examined children's peritraumatic responses to CSA. The sample consisted of 249 forensic interviews with children aged from 4 to 13 years. An initial qualitative analysis resulted in identifying various ways in which the children responded to the abuse, the children's decision-making around these responses, as well their perceptions of their response. This analysis was followed by quantitative analyses, which explored the frequency of these peritraumatic responses and their correlation with the characteristics of the children and abuse. Six peritraumatic response categories were identified, the most common being fight, flight, and fear. Only ethnoreligious identity was significantly correlated with the fight-or-flight response, with a significantly lower frequency among Muslim and ultra-Orthodox Jewish children. Frequency of abuse and perpetrator familiarity were correlated with the frequency of the fight-or-flight response, indicating that the latter was less relevant in reoccurring incidents of abuse and with perpetrators who were family members. The findings promote the conceptualization of children's peritraumatic responses during incidents of abuse and the realization of the crucial role of children's ecological systems in their peritraumatic responses to incidents of abuse.

Isolated upper vaginal wall laceration in an underage: a need to re-examine child sexual abuse in South-South Nigeria.

<p>Child sexual abuse includes any sexual act between a minor and an adult, or between two minors, when one exerts power over the other. It involves forcing, coercing or persuading a child to engage in any type of sexual act. It also involves non-contact acts such as exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, voyeurism, and communicating in a sexual manner by phone or internet. An eight-year-old girl was rushed to the gynaecological emergency unit of the Federal medical centre, Yenagoa with complaints of a three-hour history of sudden onset vaginal bleeding following a fall astride in their house. There was no injury to the vulva and the child and her relatives denied any form of sexual abuse by anyone within or outside their home. She had examination under anaesthesia in theatre and a 3 cm laceration was identified at the proximal one-third of the left lateral wall of the vagina, covered with a blood clot; not bleeding actively. Repair was done and she was subsequently discharged home on the fourth post-operative day after counselling of mother and child. Child sexual abuse is common in our environment. Education and bonding with children, education of the public via outreaches, social media campaigns and other means possible, and improvement in the socio-economic situation of people will help reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse and encourage reporting and early disclosure where they occur.</p>

Knowledge of Child Sexual Abuse Warning Signs among Secondary School Children in Temeke – Tanzania

The study aimed at assessing the level of warning sign knowledge as the primary prevention measure among secondary school children in Temeke Municipal. Specifically, the study intended to establish the knowledge level of warning signs as well as identifying common and least known warning signs among children. This study was a descriptive in nature which employed a sample size of 175 research subjects. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaire; where the study was carried out in five secondary schools in Temeke. The study findings revealed that children have limited knowledge of warning signs; though, scores among identified warning signs had marginal differences. Further, fear of some people or places, developing lying habit and the knowledge of good, bad and confusing touching were identified by the research subjects as the common warning signs while developing new names of the genital was identified as the least known warning sign among others. Thus, the study recommends for programs geared towards imparting knowledge of warning signs in order to combat incidents of child sexual abuse.

Under reporting of child sexual abuse- The barriers guarding the silence

Under-reporting of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is rampant in India, despite which India has the highest number of CSA cases in the world, the ramifications of which are enormous. Other than the obvious reasons of stigma and fear of the perpetrator, multiple other factors come into play, such as attitudes and responses of guardians, which themselves prevent children from reporting and may even lead to retraction of the disclosure. The Indian cultural etiquette strongly advocates obedience towards older individuals, which may result in the child acquiescing to the perpetrator’s demands. The fear of legal entanglements discourages guardians from seeking legal assistance. In spite of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012 emphasizing the role of medical professionals in mandatory reporting of CSA, there is no further social support made available by the Government for use by victims post-reporting. The stigmatization, powerlessness, traumatic sexualization and betrayal experienced by the child lead to significant negative consequences which are often long lasting and alarming. This article touches upon the obvious as well as inconspicuous causes of under-reporting, challenges faced and long term implications for the victims. Also, suggestions to minimize the incidence of CSA and its attendant consequences are discussed, like conceptualization of a multi-agency, multi-tier team approach consisting of medical, legal and supportive aspects, addressing the root causes of childhood maltreatment like poverty and environmental safety, besides raising public awareness by sensitizing general public and training children to identify CSA through creative and culturally popular methods. Keywords: Child sexual abuse, Underreporting, POCSO Act, Childhood maltreatment.

A Review of Child Sexual Abuse in Pakistan Based on Data from “Sahil” Organization

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is an unrevealed but an alarming issue in every civilized society. This paper examines the reported incidents of child sexual abuse in Pakistan. Its primary goal is to assess the currently available data on incidents of CSA in Pakistan from 2010 to 2016, while the specific objective is to understand the magnitude, as well as nature and context of the problem. Data on CSA from 2010 to 2016 were collected from the "annual cruel numbers" of the "Sahil" organization, which revealed that incidents of CSA have increased in Pakistan since 2010. The data show that 2,252 incidents of CSA (Boys 606 and Girls 1,646) occurred in 2010 and a larger number, 4,139 incidents (Boys 1,729 and Girls 2,410), occurred in 2016. Most of the survivors belonged to the Punjab province of Pakistan (1,723 out of 2,252 in 2010 and 2,676 out of 4,139 in 2016). Most abusers were acquaintances of their victims (3,964 in 2010 and 1,829 in 2016). The majority of incest cases were observed in 2012 (144 cases). The victim's home was a place of abuse in most incidents (306 incidents in 2010 and 594 in 2016). Government, as well as non-governmental organizations, should raise awareness of CSA. Furthermore, religious leaders must play their role to curb occurrence of CSA by preaching about its religious implications.