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Child Sexual Abuse Essay

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“Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the laws or social taboos of society. Child sexual abuse is evidenced by activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power, the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person. This may include but is not limited to: the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity, the exploitative use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices, the exploitative …show more content…

(SITE) As a result, mental health professionals, law enforcement and researchers rely on retrospective recall which leaves a margin of error for inaccurate and biased recall. Various methodologies are employed by researchers attempting to explain the underlying cause of long term psychological impact on victims of childhood sexual abuse. A myriad of studies has concluded that victims of childhood sexual abuse most commonly suffer from depression, anxiety, engage in risky sexual behaviors and engage in alcohol or substance abuse. Additionally, an individuals home life and socioeconomic status are mediating factors in a sexual abuse victim’s quality of life. Therefore concluding, childhood sexual abuse has a long-term sustaining negative impact and is mediated by impaired mental health and risky …show more content…

Overall, significant evidence suggests a correlation between childhood sexual abuse and mental health. Findings support the notion that men and women who experienced abuse as children are at higher risk for psychological impairments such as lower self esteem and depression. Children of abused individuals are at an elevated risk of developing a psychological disorder by internalizing their parents problems and engaging in anti-social behaviors. Esteves et al. research adds to the growing body of literature highlighting the integration of parental history, mood disorders and the biological significance of child health and development (Esteves et al.,

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