The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Development

This essay discusses the impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) on a child's development, including physical, emotional, and psychological effects. It highlights the prevalence of CSA globally and in Australia, as well as the specific vulnerability of children with special needs. The essay also explores the risks associated with neglect and societal mindsets that can hinder reporting and intervention.

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Child Sexual Abuse
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Introduction
Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been on constant increase in the recent past. As such, various
humanitarian and social organizations globally have shown great interest in the need to counter
this menace. In this essay, therefore, a detailed description and prevalence of CSA, both globally
and in Australia, will be discussed. The essay will also dig deeper into the effects of CSA on
learning and development of the victims and the impact on education of an abused child. The
essay will also identify and discuss the categories of children who are highly vulnerable to CSA
and the associated risk factors. Impacts of CSA on children with various special needs will also
be discussed comprehensively. A critical reflection will then be provided reflecting on an
educator’s role and contribution to the issue.
Definition and prevalence
Child sexual abuse, abbreviated as CSA, is a global menace whose outcomes are lethal and life-
long. World Health Organization defines CSA “the involvement of a child in sexual activity that
he or she does not fully comprehend and is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the
child is not developmentally prepared, or else that violate the laws or social taboos of society.”
(World Health Organization, 2018) There is a wide range of activities incorporated into the
definition of CSA. They include; attempted sexual intercourse, actual sexual intercourse,
fondling of genitals through clothing or directly, using children for pornographic purposes or
prostitution, and exposing children to pornographic contents or to adult sexual activity. Research
has it that a global estimate of 19.7% females and 7.9% males are abused sexually before
attaining 18 years age of (Singh, et al., 2014). In Australia, 16% or 1.5 million women and 11%

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or 992000 men made reports of having experienced sexual abuse before attaining 8 years of age
in 2018 (World Health Organization, 2018)
Effects of sexual abuse on children’s;
i. Healthy development
Healthy development is crucial for every child. However, development in sexually abused
children is usually impaired. This is a result of the various physical, emotional, psychological
and health problems that such a victim my encounter. To begin with, sexually abused children
are generally at high risk of developing health complications as they grow. Mental and emotional
health problems are commonly the first sign and consequence of sexual abuse among children
(Mrazek & Kempe, 2014). As a result, a significant number of victims usually fall into drug and
substance abuse which expose them to various health disorders. These disorders subsequently
lead to chronic illnesses such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. Much time is in turn spent
seeking treatment rather than in educational facilities. Victims of CSA are usually exposed to
various sexually transmitted diseases among them, HIVAIDS (Warner, 2009). While growing,
children who have been victims of CSA have a higher frequency of visiting healthcare facilities
to receive treatment for these diseases. During such visits, they have to skip school to get
medication care.
Psychological effects can occur immediately after a sexual abuse act or can be chronic, both of
which have lethal impacts on the adjustments that the victims make throughout all aspects of
development (Chu & Bowman, 2003). The main psychological consequences that can affect a
victim’s development are fear, shock, guilt, anxiety & nervousness, confusion, grief, isolation,
and withdrawal. These effects have a negative impact on the understanding and comprehension

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of a child in school work. Other developmental risks that CSA victims face are neurobiological
changes, sexual behavior problems, low self-esteem, dissociative behavior, early sexual
initiation, strained relationships with family, and eating disorders (Colarusso, 2010). Early sexual
initiation has been known to be a contributor to early pregnancies that result to school drop outs
and subsequently affecting a child’s education negatively.
ii. Learning
Sexual abuse has adverse effects on children’s learning and education patterns. Intellectual and
cognitive processes being the major role players in learning and development are fatally affected.
Clinically, it has been noted that language and cognitive deficits exist in sexually abused
children. Even CSA victims with no signs of neurological impairment have shown slowed
intellectual development, particularly in the field of verbal intelligence (Kenny, 2018). Several
studies have also revealed that sexually abused children have reduced intellectual functioning as
well as reduced lowered cognitive functioning. Consequently, poor school performance,
characterized by low scores in standardized tests as well as poor overall grades, has been
consistently reported to prevail in sexually abused individuals in their infancy and youthful life
(Salkind & Rasmussen, 2008). The poor performance in various victims, however, vary
depending on the help and support they received after their ordeals, and also according to the
type and intensity of sexual abuse they were subjected to.
Researchers have also found out that at the age of five years, children who are abused sexually
prior to attaining the four years of age have patterns of processing social behaviors that are
deviant and aggressive. When such behaviors are transited to school environments, they result to
poor education performance (Goodyear-Brown, 2011). These lethal impacts are due to the fact

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that development of social information processing patterns in affected by sexual abuse which
subsequently leads to long-term aggressive behavior. Individuals who have suffered from severe
sexual abuse during their childhood are known to acquit themselves involuntarily with a set of
deficient and biased patterns of processing information that is socially provocative. As such, they
are barely able to handle some of the common critics’ common among children in school
(Rowan, 2009).
Children who are vulnerable to sexual abuse and the risk factors
Although both girls and boys are prone to CSA, girls are generally more vulnerable than boys
(Finkelhor, 2008). The main risk factor for this is due to the fact that most perpetrators of sexual
abuse are male. As such, they are bound to abuse individuals of the opposite category in most
scenarios. Secondly, there is a general notion that girls are weaker than boys. It is general
knowledge that perpetrators of crimes go for the weak spots. This, therefore, places girls at
higher risks of falling victims of sexual abuse since they can hardly fight back (Finkelhor, 2008).
There is also a bad mindset in our communities that girls can be easily lured into sexual abuse
with gifts and other attractors. Worst of all is that girls themselves have bought into this mindset
and thus increasing their vulnerability to CSA.
From a different perspective, children with disability are more vulnerable than those without
disabilities. To begin with, the societal level of value for disabled children is low than that of
non-disabled children. Subsequently, they are usually uninformed about their rights, less
articulate, unlikely to distinguish inappropriate behavior from appropriate behavior especially
when they require help with personal hygiene, and more isolated (Crowley, 2016). Children with
intellectual disabilities are perceived as easier to please. Pedophile clubs on the internet have

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even moved a mile further and advised their members to target young ones with Down syndrome
because they are easily spotted. Disabled children also have restricted access to social
environments, especially where they have to use specialized modes of transport and amenities
(Houdek & Gibson, 2017). Subsequently, they have fewer opportunities to develop normal peer
relationships and friendships. As such, they can become desensitized to adult behavior norms
and out of care settings and therefore making it hard for them to distinguish between
inappropriate and appropriate touching.
Physical disability could be a gate pass to intrusive and rough personal care or neglect. Even
when such children are aware of sexual abuse being imposed on them, they are physically unable
to avoid abuse or resist (Corby, et al., 2012). Certain disabilities in children could result in
communication barriers. Those with hearing and speech disorders are in many instances
considered perfect targets by perpetrators. This is because they are not able to communicate or
report their experiences of sexual abuse. Further on, disabled adolescents may lack outlets to
express their sexual urges. Subsequently, their chances of being victimized are high when they
are not aware of the changes happening and therefore less likely to resist inappropriate behavior.
Disabled children are at higher risk due to the frequency and nature of touch as well as the
volume of touch. More people are likely to handle them and for longer periods than disabled
children. Other disabled children are completely reliant on other people for personal help
(Goodyear-Brown, 2011). Consequently, the vulnerability level increases with the level of
dependency and the number of people offering care. Lack of choice on who is to offer intimate
services also increases their powerlessness and vulnerability.
Impacts of sexual abuse on children with special needs

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Sexual abuse on children with disabilities has lethal effects that end up to be devastating at times.
When combined with their state of disability, sexual abuse could have fatal effects. Children
suffering from cerebral palsy are engulfed in feelings of isolation after sexual abuse (Crowley,
2016). In many scenarios, a perpetrator just appears in the life of a victim, abuses the victim and
disappears or is still present but the no one in the surrounding seems to notice. Sexual abuse also
causes low self-esteem in such children. When abused, they could end up viewing themselves as
used and lacks the meaning of life. Depending on the severity and frequency of abuse, victims
could end up viewing themselves as just sex objects.
Sexual abuse on a child having Down syndrome causes the victim to feel rejected (Houdek &
Gibson, 2017). Victims are left with disturbing thoughts of why someone would just come into
their lives and cause them pain for no reason. They end up feeling as if they are rejected by the
whole society. Confusion and depression also occur on children who are sexually abused. Just
after the act, many victims have confessed as having been left wondering "…what has just
happened?" thoughts that lasted many years afterward (Corby, et al., 2012). Other impacts are
self-blame and anxiety, frustration, powerlessness, anger, stigmatization and fear.
Reflection
Educators have an ultimate responsibility to protect children from sexual abuse. In attempt to do
so, there are various strategies that they could undertake to avail the protection. First creating
awareness of sexual abuse and the various acts pertaining the same to children and young people
of relevant age is an effective strategy. Such education will incorporate some of the common
appropriate and inappropriate behaviors that they should be aware of. Educators could also
educate children on the various reporting channels should they be abused sexually. The main

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challenge that educators could meet is negligence from various parties. Parents, for example, are
known to ignore cases of sexual abuse among siblings. Certain mindsets in the society such as
viewing disabled children as inferior could also be a major hindrance.
Conclusion
Child sexual abuse has been described as the involvement of a minor in sexual activities without
their comprehension or consent. Various acts that constitute child sexual abuse have also been
listed. They are; attempted sexual intercourse, actual sexual intercourse, fondling of genitals
through clothing or directly, using children for pornographic purposes or prostitution, and
exposing children to pornographic contents or to adult sexual activity. The global prevalence, as
well as the prevalence of CSA in Australia, have also been jotted down. Further on the various
health, development, learning and education impacts of child sexual abuse have been discussed
comprehensively. Children who are highly vulnerable to CSA have also been identified and
discussed together with the associated risk factors. Impacts of CSA on children with special
needs have been inscribed comprehensively. The essay has concluded with a personal reflection
of an educator’s view on the topic.

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References
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