The article titled “Child Sexual Abuse: Demography, Impact, and Interventions”, written by Erna Olafson gives an account of the impacts of child sexual abuse on victims. It focuses on how child sexual abuse associates with anxiety and depression. The article is a theoretical review and summarizes other forms of child maltreatment, especially victim stigmatization. It provides ample information on the current interventions available for child sexual abuse, which include prevention, child forensic interviewing and treatment (Olafson, 2011). The article presents future directions that alert the potential signs and symptoms of persistent victimization of children. The author defines child sexual abuse and describes distinct forms of abuse ranging from non-contact abuse to contact abuse, such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, adult partner violence and many others (Bolen and Gergely, 2014).. The article reports that over 70 percent of child victims encounter traumatic loss while 58 percent witness domestic violence.
The best part of the article is that it addresses the demographic features and challenges of child sexual abuse, thereby providing information about how class and gender play a significant role in the incidence of child sexual abuse (Olafson, 2011). According to the author, while males are the perpetrators of child sexual abuse in approximately 94 percent of the cases, females are the victims. On the basis of results obtained from “National Violence against Women Survey”, it is evident that in a random sample of 16005 individuals, two percent of the men and nine percent of the women have encountered sexual abuse before the age of eighteen years (Modelli, Galvão and Pratesi, 2012). The author has done a splendid job in researching how child sexual abuse has transformed from the 1960s through the 1980s into the 21st century. The risk factors and prevalent rates of child sexual abuse vary widely on the basis of ethnicity. The author summarizes previous retrospective surveys conducted by various studies and asserts that the prevalence rates of child sexual abuse is almost equal in all classes, from inner cities to suburbs to metropolitans.
One of the interesting facts presented in the article is how gender reality poses serious challenges to public policy funding and attention for awareness, intervention and prevention of child sexual abuse. The author lists certain risk factors for child sexual abuse, such as greater risk for girls when compared to boys, greater risk for the disabled when compared to children with no disability and greater risk for girls and boys who do not reside with their natural parents (Lipovsky and Kilpatrick, 2013). The paper pays attention to the role of government officials, policy makers and non-governmental organizations in preventing the number of cases of child sexual abuse. It also addresses the role of advocacy centers, agencies and law enforcement institutions in investigating the cases of child sexual abuse (Olafson, 2011). The paper stresses on the significance of evidence-based interventions for child sexual abuse victims.
In most of the cases, researchers suggest that the nondisclosure of children about sexual abuse leads to misguidance about the number of incidents taking place in reality. Any delay or denial of child sexual abuse in turn questions the reliability of allegations pertaining to child sexual abuse (Olafson, 2011). A majority of the child abuse cases do not have typical witnesses due to which the verbal disclosure of the abuse is the primary and only evidence. The article addresses the issues of child sexual abuse substantiation. Most of the clinicians and psychologists are slow in recognizing the cases of child sexual abuse due to lack of evidence or physical injuries in a majority of the children (Olafson, 2011). In this regard, the article suggests certain prevention programs that aid in protecting children from sexual abuse. These programs include creating safety plans and awareness among children about unintended behaviors and many others.
Psychologists have been recognizing an increased risk of mental disorders among child sexual abuse victims. The article asserts that child sexual abuse not only causes mental disorders, but also increases the prevalence of negative psychological consequences, such as lower self-esteem, difficulties pertaining to intimacy and lack of self-control. Researchers have observed that child sexual abuse is one of the significant reasons for an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases, sexual revictimization, teenage pregnancies and many others (Bolen and Gergely, 2014). Child sexual abuse interrupts the development of children in terms of their sexuality and sexual orientation. Research further suggests that child sexual abuse victims are more likely to indulge in the acts of domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse and other types of adversities. According to the article, child sexual abuse victims who encounter abuse for a longer duration are more likely to attempt suicide in their adulthood when compared to normal individuals (Olafson, 2011). This implies the impact of child sexual abuse on the physiology and psychology of individuals.
Researchers argue that child sexual abuse victims develop various phobic responses and symptoms related to anxiety. Irrespective of the type of abuse, these victims develop traumagenic dynamics, such as stigmatization, powerlessness, betrayal and traumatic sexualization (Olafson, 2011). Researchers also assert that child abuse victims develop unsocial behavior and encounter recurrent nightmares. They are also prone to fears of specific people, places or activities. The article mentions about how child sexual abuse victims develop despair, anxiety, agoraphobia, depression and avoidance. There are various social organizations, which ensure that incidents related to child sexual abuse do not occur (Olafson, 2011). These organizations provide social support and rehabilitation to child sexual abuse victims. They also ensure to the maximum possible extent that incidents of such kind do not repeat.
One of the best strengths of the article is that it presents all the arguments in a well-organized way. Furthermore, the article divides the content appropriately into sections and defines every concept effectively. The researchers illustrate every concept with as many examples as possible. In other words, they have done a great amount of research for presenting well-documented arguments (Olafson, 2011). However, a significant drawback of the article is that it does not explain in depth about how one could prevent the acts of child sexual abuse. Moreover, the article fails to acknowledge the role of government institutions in interfering with child sexual abuse. The researchers have majorly focused on the concepts of child sexual abuse rather than its psychological implications. It would have been better had the article offered insights about parental functioning helps in the minimization of incidents related to child sexual abuse. The researchers could have also focused on the tactics followed by children to resist sexual abuse (Olafson, 2011). However, the article is useful in presenting the fundamental discussion about child sexual abuse.
Reference
Bolen, R. M., & Gergely, K. (2014). Child sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect Worldwide, 59.
Lipovsky, J. A., & Kilpatrick, D. G. (2013). The child sexual abuse victim as an adult. The sexual abuse of children. Clinical issues, 2, 430-476.
Modelli, M. E., Galvão, M. F., & Pratesi, R. (2012). Child sexual abuse. Forensic Science International, 217(1), 1-4.
Olafson, E. (2011). Child sexual abuse: Demography, impact, and interventions. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 4(1), 8-21.
