Differences Between Child Sexual Abuse And The Child Protection Movement

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Child sexual abuse has a long history in our culture and continues to be prevalent in society today. Through hard to define, child sexual abuse typically refers to instances where the child is used for the sexual gratification of an adult, and is typically split into two categories: intrafamilial (within the family unit, i.e. parent, sibling, ect), and extrafamilial (outside the family; i.e. strangers/acquittances, or child pornography). Researcher David Finkelhor states that to consent to sexual activity, one must have the knowledge of sexuality, sexual relationships, ect, as well a sense of authority; children have neither of these aspects and therefore are unable to consent. The effects of child sexual abuse can be traumatic, detrimental, and have long lasting effects that often stretch into adulthood or possibly the victims’ entire life. …show more content…

While both work together to aid in combating child sexual abuse, understanding the differences between the movements is essential to understanding their goals. The child protection movement views sexual abuse as a third form of child maltreatment, and typically deal with abuse committed by either family members, caregivers, or surrogate parents. Often the main goal is to ensure the abuse does not continue, the perpetrator takes responsibility for abuse, and the family is reunited. On the other hand, the feminist movement takes the stance as sexual abuse as a societal problem that is a direct result of our patriarchal society, and therefore, should be addressed and treated as

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