Theories Explaining Child Sexual Abuse

This article critically evaluates the theories used to explain child sexual abuse and determines the most comprehensive explanation. It explores the impact of abuse on the mental and physical health of children, as well as the prevalence and factors associated with child sexual abuse.

With reference to
empirical evidence
critically evaluate the
theories that have
been used to Explain
Child sexual abuse,
and determine which
theory provides the
most comprehensive
explanation’

Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Critical evaluation of theories related to child sexual abuse.......................................................3
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Child sexual abuse is also known as molestation of child in which an adult or older
individual make use of child for sexual stimulation. It has been analysed that child can be abused
in variety of settings such as home, school or even work places typically in those areas where
child labour is being employed. Child who has gone through abuse can face severe problems like
depression, anxiety and other complex post traumatic disorders. The global prevalence rate of
child sexual abuse has been estimated at 19.7% for females and 7.9% for males. It has been
analysed that most of the child abuse has been committed by male. Most of the sexual abuses are
acquainted with their victims. The sexual abuse which has been done by a family member is
known as incest and can cause them more severe and long term psychological trauma. Present
report will lay emphasis on critical evaluation of the theories that have been used to explain the
sexual abuse in child. Report will also provide the strength and limitations of the theories. It will
also be supported by empirical evidence.
MAIN BODY
Critical evaluation of theories related to child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse can have negative impact on the mental and physical abilities of child.
It can have long term and short term impact in their life. They can face various psychological
disorders later in their life. Like for example eating disorders, poor self esteem, brain damage,
post traumatic disorders, anxiety and even can face depression. This can lay negative impact on
the health outcome of child. Studies have found that 51% to 79% of sexually abused children
exhibit psychological symptoms (Kloppen and et.al., 2016). It has been analysed that the effect
of sexual abuse can last longer when it has been done by the relative. There has been a casual
relationship found between the abuse of child and various other psychopathologies which

includes crime and suicide. Children who have faced sexual abuse can often have tendency of
suicide. They can also face problems such as attention deficient hyperactivity disorder. Child
sexual abuse can lay negative impact on the health aspects of them and ca\n also reduce their
quality of life. It can be because of the reason such as poor environment of family and physical
activities. There are various theories which are being related to this crime. It includes the
following:
Comprehensive theoretical framework
This theory explains the number of reasons because of which child sexual abuse can
exists. It provides the details those children who have faced sexual abuse also go through the
physical violence. So this theory has laid emphasis in conducting awareness campaigns which
can provide education so that incidences related to it can be reduced. This campaign can work on
the following objectives that children can be rescued from the unsafe and violent environment
and can rehabilitate them into the safe environment. This can assist them in reducing the
incidence related to this crime. There are also some types of physical effects which can be faced
by the children who have gone through sexual abuse. The Line for example the children who
have been abused sexually can go through various types of sexual transmitted diseases. Due to
lack of vaginal fluid during early child hood the chances of infections can be increased. It can
decrease the quality of life of children (Krahé and Berger, 2017).
Strength
It can also reduce their physical as well as mental abilities. The damage related to internal
organs in some cases can also cause death of child. Study has shown that teenagers are not aware
about the ill effects of the abuse which has been faced by them in childhood and often develops
into diseases like herpes, HIV etc. These disorders have a severe impact on emotional and

physical well-being of young adults. The model also provides details about how education can
support parents and their family members in protecting their child from the abuse. Parents can
teach their child to communicate with them and don not keep any secrets with them. This can
assist them in reducing incidences related to this crime.
This theory also lay emphasis on that vulnerable adults are provided with financial
support so that they can become financially and socially self reliant. This will reduce their urge
to commit this type of crime. This theory explains that there are various damages which can be
caused because of the child sexual abuse. They can face trust and intimacy issues later in their
life. It has been analysed that many adults have mental health problems because of the abuse
they have faced in their childhood. This theory also laid emphasis on that legal advice can be
provided in order to help the victim so that the justice can be provided to those children who
have suffered the incidences of sexual abuse.
Weakness of the model
But this theory also have some limitations like which factors needs to be considered that
can help in reducing the crime rate. Comprehensive theory on child sexual abuse does not
provide the satisfactory explanation on how the incidences related to child sexual abuse can be
reduced.
Child sexual abuse: a model of chronic trauma
Although there is a general consensus among concerned professionals that exposure to
community violence is likely to be stressful. This theory provides explanation that abuse faced
by child can have long term effect on their health. They can face mental health problem later in
life and can have enduring impact on their upbringing. The researchers have provided the details
about the impact of children mal-treatment. They have also provided that the psychological and

biological factors that gives rises to such type of incidences. This model explains that the
prevalence rate of child sexual abuse is more in females than males. Females are the ones which
are facing this crime at high level. It has been analyzed that females with high exposure to this
crime have seen with PTSD symptoms (Mathews and Collin-Vézina, 2019). This symptom is
basically associated with poor social functioning. This disease when faced by females later in
their life is also associated with high risk of substance abuse. It can negatively impact on the
physical and mental abilities of the child who has gone through abuse. This model also provides
the details related to factors of child sexual abuse. It has been analyzed from the research many
of the abusers are these people who victim Trust. In 90% of the cases abuse is been done by
those who is known y the child. It can be anyone family member, friend, relatives.
Strength
According to this model child sexual abuse is mostly done by those people who themselves
have been abused in early childhood. So these types of people may have serious grudges that
force them to do such type of crime. It has also been analyzed that some abusers are suffering
from mental disorders because of which they tend to engaged in criminal activities. They can
also strong sexual desire towards kids. This type of, mental disorder is also known as pedophilia.
A person who is suffering from pedophile can engaged in abusing child sexually according this
model. This theory explains that children who have gone through sexual abuse can face post-
traumatic disorder like for example they can be depressed, anxious and even can have low self
esteem. This can also lay negative impact on the personal and even on their professional life
when they become adults (Kelly and Karsna, 2017). They may not be able to achieve their
ultimate goals and objectives because of abuse. It has been analyzed that less traumatic disorder
have been faced by child who has been supported by someone. The disclosure is been negative

than it can have worst impact on the social life of children. They have been found to be harmful
to the well being of survivors.
Research has also provided the details about how child sexual abuse can cause neurological
damage. There can be changes in functioning of brain and development of it. This model has
provided that child sexual abuses have severe impact on the development of brain. () found
"reversed hemispheric asymmetry and greater left hemisphere coherence in abused subjects. It
has also been analyzed that the sexual abuse faced by child can lead to an undeveloped limbic
system. This can also result in children facing severe post traumatic disorders. They can go
through problems such as depression, anxiety, confusion. They might also go through problems
like ADHD. This type of problem laid severe impact on the physical and emotional well being of
the children.
This model also has certain weakness like they do not have provided the results or details
based on the disclosure. They have not provided details about how support can change the
behavior of children who have gone through this issue. It has also not provided the details about
the methods which that can be used in order to reduce the rate related to crimes like this.
Traumatogenic Dynamics Model
This model has provided the details that child sexual abuse can have four negative
consequences. In this traumatic sexualization behavior can be faced by young adults who have
gone through sexual abuse during childhood. They can also go through negative sexual patterns.
It can enhance the individuals to have large number of sexual partners who were being sexually
abused in past or during the time of childhood. It can also influence risky behaviors in them. The
adults who have gone through sexual abuse can also hurt or injured their partners. They can face
difficulty in trusting other individuals. They can also avoid stable relationship so that these type

of individuals can have multiple relationship. All these incidences can increase the rate related to
this crime. Adults who have been engaged in maintaining sexual relationship with so many other
individuals can have a threat related to developing the sexually transmitted diseases. This can lay
negative impact on the quality of life of adults who have gone through abuse.
The other factor of this model is stigmatization. In this the individual or child who have
gone through sexual abuse during childhood can face the feeling of shame and guilt. All these
feeling can encourage adults in having multiple partners and can also increase the risky behavior.
In this factor these type of adults have no control over their sexual interactions. They tend to get
engaged with multiple partners (Walsh and et.al., 2018). They may face severe diseases in future
that will directly lay impact on their quality of life. It has been analyzed that high traumatic
sexualization can reduce the self esteem and it can also lower down the self confidence of
individuals. children who have gone through sexual abuse can also have different and weird
behavior with their parents as well as other family members. Children can face severe problem
like anxiety and depression. They might also go through feelings of betrayal. They might also
face issues in communicating these incidences with their family members (Finkelhor, 2019).
This can be because children may not trust anyone or feel betrayed. It has been analyzed that
those children who are provided with support are been recovered soon in comparison to those
who have no support of any one. So this model has provided the details about the psychological
and sexual problems which can be faced by children in future. It can lay negative impact on the
health outcome of children and can also reduce the quality of their life. They can also face
problem related to anxiety and depression. They can also have feeling of tiredness and low self
esteem.
Weakness

This model also have certain limitations that it does not provide the details related to how
support can be provided to children so that all these problems like anxiety, low self esteem,
depression can be reduced. This model has also not provided the details about the causes which
can lead to rise of these type of incidences.
Model of Information-Motivation and Behavioral Skills
As per the view of Renvoize, (2017) this model basically explains the relationship between
the behavior and child sexual abuse and the performance of the risky sexual behavior. They have
provided the details about the importance of information related to infection and risky behavior
which can be faced by adults who have gone through sexual abuse. This model suggests that
information related to these incidences must be discussed by adults with their partners, so that
emotional support can be provided to them.
Strength
This can assist them in overcoming the problems that has been faced by individuals in early
childhood. It has been analyzed from the model that child sexual abuse can also influence the
level of information and motivation for having safe sex by making use of several mechanisms.
This crime has been interconnected with having less knowledge and education related to sexually
transmitted disease. Abusers do not have an idea about the type of disease they can face because
of the unsafe intercourse. The cases related to this crime have been rising because of the
unfavorable attitude towards having sexual intercourse, lack of the behavioral skills and lower
self esteem. These are the factors because of which the incidences related to child sexual abuse
has been rising. It has been analyzed that the prevalence rate among females is higher in
comparison to male. Most of the sexual abuses during childhood is been done by family
members or any other individual who have known the child.

Child sexual abuse is also been linked to the dissociative activities that can be associated
with the process of coding and also the analysis of information linked with sexuality. So it has
been evaluated that the adults who have gone through abuse during childhood may have issues
relating the information related to intercourse. This can increase the problem related to risky
behavior as the adults do not have certain amount of education and knowledge related to safe
sex. According to this model child who have gone through abuse can also become vulnerable in
future. This aspect can have negative impact on their quality of life. It has been analyzed that the
adults gone through sexual abuse during the time of childhood must be motivated to practice safe
sex. This knowledge is really necessary in them so that there has been reduce in chances of
sexually transmitted infection. This model also provide the details that child sexual abuse can
also increase the difficulty related to differentiating fantasy from reality as many abusers are
incapable to face the reality. Also the perception of individuals must be changed so that they rae
being motivated to have safe sexual intercourse. This model also provided the information that
children who have gone through sexual abuse may lack motivation to have safe intercourse; they
may have also developed the perception that whatever which has happened to them cannot be
changed. This can lead to lowering down of self confidence and can also have fewer skills that
can assist them in negotiating.
Weakness
It has been analyzed that this model also have certain weakness like the causes and
reasons related to child sexual abuse has not been explained in this model. It has also not
provided about the information related to issues which can be faced by children in near future
(Azzopardi and et.al., 2019). There has been a lack of information relating to the risky situations

which can be faced by individuals. Solution related to the rise in incidence of child abuse has not
been discussed and explained thoroughly in this model.
Conceptual model related to child sexual abuse.
This model has [provided the details about how the child sexual abuse is different from this
abuse which is been faced by adults. It has been analyzed that children are not been involved in
discussing the abuse immediately. There are various factors which can make child vulnerable to
abuse. These cases are mostly faced by children who are adopted, children in foster care, and
children with disability. Poverty is also one of the major factors that have increased the rise of
this crime. It has been analyzed that there are various physical and behavioral indicators related
to abuse faced by child. Like for example child can go through genital injury by this there can be
a change in behavior of child such as they can face difficulty in achieving in the developmental
milestone in school. These children can also become depressed and can have lower self
confidence. The rise in the cases related to child sexual abuse can be because of the reason such
as poor environment of family and physical activities. There are various theories which are being
related to this crime. Other physical problem that can be faced by child who has been sexually
assaulted can include problems related to urination.
Strength
By this there can be certain changes in behaviour like child can become depressed. This
model provides information related to various physical and psychological healths related
problems which can be faced by children. They can face problem like chronic pelvic pain,
menstrual in-regularities (Alaggia, Collin-Vézina and Lateef, 2019). These aspects can reduce
the quality of children who have gone through sexual abuse. It has been analysed that in order to
provide support to children they must be treated with extreme sensitivity. Health care

professionals must be involved in making use of effective communication so that it becomes
easier for them to analyse the problems. This will assist them in making children overcoming
from the post-trauma which can be faced by them because of CSA.
It has been analysed that children who are sexually abused can also face severe diseases like
HIV, Chlamydia, and Hepatitis B If these problems are being faced by children than it can also
lay negative impact on their emotional well being. They will be unable to make their own
decision and will feel tired and weak ever time (Levine and et.al., 2018). They can also face
several other problems like clumsiness, drowsiness, insomnia. It has also been analysed from this
model that it is really necessary to provide education and knowledge related to measures because
of which the sexually transmitted infections can be avoided. This will assist them in protecting
children from the severe diseases. It has also been analysed that females have gone through
sexual abuse during the time of childhood can also face problems related to pregnancy. They
might face issues in expecting a child. This can may females depressed and anxious. They can
face various problems like trauma, reduction in self esteem. It can lead to the rise in emotional
stress of females.
It has also been analysed from this model that support and assistance must be provided to
those who have been gone through sexual abuse during the time of childhood. It has also been
analysed that education is necessary to reduce the rate of incidence related to this crime. This
aspect will assist them in improvising the health and quality of life of children. It will support
children in keeping a pace with their emotional stress which is really necessary for them.
Education will also help communities in reducing the crime related to sexual abuse. It will
support them in protecting the child from the risk of getting abuse.
Weakness

This theory also has certain limitation as it does not provide information related to the
importance of stagnation. It has also not provided the reasons related to increasing rate of crime.
This theory has also not provided the information related to various risk factors related to this
crime.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarized that child sexual abuse has negative impact on
the health outcome of individuals. The rise in cases related to this crime is been because of
number of factors such as physical conditions and poor environment in families. It has also been
analyzed that children who have gone through sexual abuse can face problems like depression,
anxiety, low self esteem, abdominal pain. This abuse has also increased the emotional stress of
individuals. Some of the children have also faced the problem of sexually transmitted infections
like HIV.
It has been analyzed that in order to reduce the rate of this crime proper education and
awareness related to protected safe must be provided. This has supported the communities in
lowering down the rate related to this. It has also been analyzed from the report that prevalence
rate of sexual abuse is higher in females than males. It has also been summarized that children
face this type of behavior mostly from the people they known. Child sexual abuse has also
created trust issues in children. They have also been facing various behavioral changes and risk
behavior. Legal support has also been provided to victim.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Levine, E.C. and et.al., 2018. Child sexual abuse and adult mental health, sexual risk behaviors,
and drinking patterns among Latino men who have sex with men. Journal of child sexual
abuse, 27(3), pp.237-253.
Renvoize, J., 2017. Innocence destroyed: A study of child sexual abuse. Routledge.
Alaggia, R., Collin-Vézina, D. and Lateef, R., 2019. Facilitators and barriers to child sexual
abuse (CSA) disclosures: A research update (2000–2016). Trauma, Violence, &
Abuse, 20(2), pp.260-283.
Finkelhor, D., 2019. Child sexual abuse: Challenges facing child protection and mental health
professionals. In Childhood and Trauma (pp. 101-116). Routledge.
Krahé, B. and Berger, A., 2017. Gendered pathways from child sexual abuse to sexual
aggression victimization and perpetration in adolescence and young adulthood. Child
Abuse & Neglect, 63, pp.261-272.
Azzopardi, C. and et.al., 2019. A meta-analysis of the prevalence of child sexual abuse
disclosure in forensic settings. Child abuse & neglect, 93, pp.291-304.
Mathews, B. and Collin-Vézina, D., 2019. Child sexual abuse: Toward a conceptual model and
definition. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 20(2), pp.131-148.
Walsh, K. and et.al., 2018. School-based education programs for the prevention of child sexual
abuse: A Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis. Research on social work
practice, 28(1), pp.33-55.
Kelly, L. and Karsna, K., 2017. Measuring the scale and changing nature of child sexual abuse
and child sexual exploitation Scoping report. Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse,
Barkingside.
Kloppen, K. and et.al., 2016. Prevalence of child sexual abuse in the Nordic countries: A
literature review. Journal of child sexual abuse, 25(1), pp.37-55.

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