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Child sexual abuse is an abuse of power that encompasses many forms of
sexual activity between a child or adolescent (most often a girl) and
an older person, most often a man or older boy known to the victim. The
activity may be physically forced or accomplished though coercive tactics
such as offers of money for school fees or threats of exposure. At times,
it may take the form of breach of trust in which an individual, such as
a religious leader, teacher or doctor, who has the confidence of the child,
uses that trust to secure sexual favors.
Studies have shown that between 36% and 62% of all sexual assault victims
are aged 15 or less. Research suggests that the sexual abuse of children
is commonplace.
Incest, sexual abuse occurring within the family, although most often
perpetrated by a father, stepfather, grandfather, uncle, brother or other
male in a position of family trust, may also come from a female relative.
As with sexual abuse, incest is accomplished by physical force or by coercion.
Incest takes on the added psychological dimension of betrayal by a family
member who is supposed to care for and protect the child. Research in
Kinston, Jamaica, reported that 17% of a random sample of 452 primary
school girls, ages 13-14, had experienced attempted or completed rape,
half before the age of 12.
In a study of 1193 randomly selected ninth grade students in Geneva,
Switzerland, 20% of the girls and 3% of the boys reported at least one
incident of sexual abuse involving physical contact.
A general unwillingness to acknowledge the extent of child sexual abuse
exists in many societies. Attempts to downplay the prevalence and nature
of child abuse often blame the victim or the victims' mother for the violence.
Accusations against the child include the idea that the child invites
the abuse or that she imagines it. The mother may be blamed for "causing"
the abuse by refusing to have sex with the abuser, or for "colluding"
by not realising or reporting what was going on.
Attention is often focused on commercialized paedophilia, which while
important, distracts attention from the more widespread problem of incest
and sexual abuse.
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The commercial exploitation of children occurs in many settings. The
problem includes child prostitution and pornography, the trafficking of
children for sexual purposes, and bonded labor.
Many factors can conspire to push children into exploitative and abusive
situations. Well-documented cases show that families are often deceived
by the promise of job opportunities for their children. Sometimes, girls
are sent away from home to work and become subject to physical and sexual
abuse.
Street children may be at particular risk. With no means of economic
or social support, they may be forced to rely on prostitution for survival.
They also lack the basic protection that a home and family can offer,
thus making them more vulnerable to violent attack on the street.
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