Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as "inappropriately exposing or subjecting a child to sexual contact, activity, or behavior. Sexual abuse includes oral, anal, genital, buttock, and breast contact. It also includes the use of objects for vaginal or anal penetration, fondling, or sexual stimulation.

(No given author, http://www.teenhealthfx.com/answers/4740.html)

Sexual abuse is like any other kind of abuse, it occurs on an everyday basis but is often reported. Sexual abuse can be initiated from a heterosexual or a homosexual. Usually, the abuser at one point and time in his/her life has been sexually assaulted. "60-80% of offenders in a study of imprisoned rapists had been molested as children."

(No given author, http://www.uvss.uvic.ca/oursac/statistics.htm) "Pedophiles are invariably males: Almost all sex crimes against children are committed by men. Significant numbers of victims are males: Up to one-third of all sex crimes against children are committed against boys (as opposed to girls)."

(No given author, http://www.therapistfinder.net/Child-Abuse/Sexual-Abuse.html) Men are the majority abusers of sexual abuse towards women and other men. Women also abuse men sexually but far less often as statistics show. "About three percent of American men -- a total of 2.78 million men--have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. In 2002, one in every eight-rape victims were male." (Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women 1998, http://www.rainn.org/statistics.html#mentoo) Majority of abused individuals have some sort of affiliation with the abuser. The abuser may be a stepfather, uncle or another relative or trusted friend of the family.

" 80% of all child abusers are the father, foster father, stepfather or another relative or close family friend of the victim."

(No given author, http://www.uvss.uvic.ca/oursac/statistics.htm)

Children and adults that are sexually abused may be later affected in life. The abused individuals become restricted to themselves in many ways. Their behavioral pattern changes drastically. They also change mentally and physically. Mentally they become less social and more frigid to everyone especially young boys. "Boys who are sexually abused face some additional problems because of persistent myths in our society. Males are rarely viewed as fitting the victim role. When boys get hurt, they are often told, "act like a man," "don't be a sissy," "control your emotions." The message to boys is to stand on their own two feet and to take care of themselves. Under these circumstances, a male victim is less likely to tell and therefore cannot begin a healing process. This increases the chances that he may take on the role of the victimizer in an attempt to master his own experience." (No given author, http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/2656/parent.html) Most of the abused individuals are scared to be hugged and touched. As later in life when they grow up to start dating and marry, they are very sensitive about their sexual presence. The horrific memories haunt them as they try to block them out. "Stressful events mar even the happiest of childhoods." (Baker, page 97)

Priests and archbishops all over the world have drawn national attention to themselves and the church they belong to, for being accused of sexually abusing children. "Generally, 30 percent of U.S. priests (estimates established from all sources) are either involved in homosexual relationships, have a conflict about periodic sexual activity, feel compelled toward homosexual involvements, identify themselves a homosexual, or at least have serious questions about their sexual orientation or differentiation."

(No given author, http://www.rentapriest.com/statistics.htm) The individual's