116 p r e v e n t i n g s e x u a l a b u s e
Some facts about sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is any direct or indirect sexual contact between an
adult (or older youth) and a younger child. Sexual abuse can happen
to any child. It happens in all communities, and in rich and poor
families. It happens most often to girls but also to boys.
There are many different kinds of sexual abuse. Some of the most
common are:
Abuse that involves touching a child:
• kissing or hugging a child in a
sexual way
• sexual intercourse
• oral sex (mouth to penis or
mouth to vagina)
• touching a child’s
sexual parts or asking
a child to touch an
adult’s sexual parts
Abuse that does not involve touching a child:
• using sexual language to shock
a child or make her sexually
excited
• making a child hear or watch
sex between other people
• making a child pose for
pictures
• forcing a child to become a
prostitute
Most sexual abuse starts when children are older than 5 years, but it
can happen to younger children too. Most abused children are abused
by someone they know, like a family member or neighbor—not by a
stranger. Often the abuse goes on for a long time, sometimes for years.
We do not know exactly how common sexual abuse is, since children
often do not tell anyone. But it is possible that as many as 1 of every 4
children in the world are sexually abused.
Sexual abuse can
be physical — like
intercourse, or
touching or kissing
sexual parts. But it
doesn’t have to be
physical touch — it
can be sexual talk
too.
helping children who are blind