Early Childhood Victimization

Every year thousands of children are abused. This abuse can be physical, emotional or sexual in nature. All forms of abuse are wrong, all forms of abuse are harmful, but childhood sexual abuse can cause major emotional and physical harm in our adolescents. Before we can properly treat these victims we must first have a solid grasp of how and why sexual abuse occurs, the typical effects of the abuse and how the abuse changes the child's stages of development.

Many etiological theories exist attempting to explain the root causes of sexual offending. Although few provide substantial evidence and no definitive conclusions have been made, the social learning theory has been proposed to account for sex offending behaviors. Specifically, the social learning theory, or victim-to-victimizer theory, suggests sexually abused children learn these behaviors and are much more likely to perpetrate abuse when they’re older (Seto & Lalumiere, 2010). The following studies have provided substantial support for the social learning etiology. Through the use of a meta-analysis, Seto and Lalumiere (2010) concluded that sexual offending is tied to prior sexual abuse. Burton, Miller, and Shill (2002) discovered

It has been observed that sexually abused children tend to be less socially competent, more aggressive, and more socially withdrawn than non-abused children. A specific interpersonal effect of sexual abuse among children is that of increased sexual behavior. This is prominent when we were

Being sexually abused is a very traumatizing experience, and this form of victimization at a young age only amplifies the situation. The mortifying nature of child sexual abuse often brings along with it changes in the victim's life. Some of the numerous short term effects (problems that impact them while they are still at a young

This paper will examine the impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on women’s sexual behavior in adulthood. Childhood sexual abuse has been associated with a plethora of physical and emotional symptoms in women. It has been noted that there is a significant relationship between this maltreatment and the development of abnormal sexual behavior. Some women who have been abused as children are suffering from lack of sexual desire, emotional distress, sexual dysfunction, or engage in risky sexual behavior as they become adults. This paper has two purposes: (1) to provide a broad overview of the research on long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse on mental and physical health and (2) encourage counselors and therapists alike to seek knowledge of this issue and in turn provide victims of CSA with effective methods to overcome and deal with any long-term issues of childhood sexual abuse.

“A University study found 20.6% of women and 10.5% of men reported non-penetrative childhood sexual abuse by the age of 16 and that 7.9% of women and 7.5% of men reported penetrative childhood sexual abuse by the age 16 years. (Mamun, Lawlor, O’Calloghan, Bor, Williams. & Najman, 2007 Queensland University

This paper explores 11 published articles which report on results from research conducted on the links between child abuse and adult physical and mental health. The articles vary in their themes and ideas of child abuse in relations to trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, juvenile offenses, and teen dating violence. Other articles suggest adult criminal behaviors, incarceration and parenting styles of those who were abused as children. This paper examines the relationship within one another of how child abuse affects those children in later years and stages of life.

The sexual child abuse issue has become of significance within the United States as an alarming focus in the past 30 years. Sexual child abuse (SCA) is such an extensive topic and yet as time progresses this subject is more unrestricted for discussion, various dialogs are provided to make parents and care-takers aware of the signs of potential sexual child abuse. Seminars are provided to and for children to teach methods in identifying any possible perpetrators and report any peculiar behavior they may come across. However, how fortunate are children from other countries in reporting or discussing this same issue when something so violated occurs to them? According to Alpert, J.L., Brown, L.S., & Courtois, C.A., (1998), there have been findings that are constant in supporting that at least 20% of American women and 5% to 10% of American men have experienced some type of sexual abuse in childhood and that such abuse has transpired without regard to origin, race, or socioeconomic status. In an urban study however, which concentrated in Leon, Nicaragua, determined that sexual abuse defined childhood and adolescence as younger than age 19 Olsson, A., Ellsber, E., Berglund, S., Herrera, A., Zelaya, E., Pena, R., Zelaya, F., & Persson, L.A. (2000). Additionally, according to the Nicaraguan study sexual abuse was described as any sexual act by an older individual towards a child who is 12 years of age or younger.

The subject of victimization and childhood trauma and neglect, especially sexual victimization is in desperate need of additional awareness despite the increase in the research literature over the past three decades. Youth who experience any form of victimization, whether it be sexual, emotional, and/or physical throughout their childhood are known to have difficulties in their childhood and adolescent development (McCuish, Cale & Corrado, 2015). The abuse they experience can be from their caregivers, sexual victimization by acquaintances and strangers, assaults by peers and can be exposed to violence in their neighborhoods (Finkelhor, Ormrod, Turner and Holt, 2009).

Researchers examine the long-term effects of child sexual abuse by conducting numerous studies on women who survived childhood sexual abuse. A sample of 1835 mid-pregnant Jewish women were recruited in Israel over an 18-month period. The participants were divided into three sub-groups consisting of the different combinations between pregnancy at risk, childhood sexual abuse, and other childhood sexual abuse trauma. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of five scales. The results yielded that pregnant women who were abused as a child “suffer higher distress levels, which increases poorer health, hence increasing the probability of high risk pregnancy”(Yampolsky et al 2010).

Majority of youth subjected to sex trafficking have had previously involvement within the Child Welfare System due to living in previous abusive or unstable homes. Williams (2015) found that the teens that are the most vulnerable include runaways, victims of sexual abuse, drug users and addicts, homeless youth, female gang members, and transgender street youth. Walker (2013) found “the average life expectancy of an exploited child is seven years: homicide and HIV/AIDS account for a majority of the deaths” (p. 16). The survivors of childhood sexual exploitation may have lasting physical and emotional traumas associated with the nature of the exploitation. Williams (2015) found “youth are at an increase for depression, suicide, PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse, and dissociative disorders” (p.

For this week’s research assignment, the class was asked to review Widom and Kuhns article “Childhood victimization and subsequent risk for promiscuity, prostitution, and teenage pregnancy: A prospective study” (1996). The authors wanted to determine if there was any direct correlation between victims of childhood abuse and/or neglect and increased risk for promiscuity, prostitution, and teenage pregnancy. Widom and Kuhns were hoping to show that being a victim of abuse and/or neglect demonstrated an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases, premature parenting and the continuation of the abuse/neglect cycle from one generation to the next. In examining this article, we will focus on the research design that was utilized, data-gathering

Widom and Kuhns were able to find significant support for their hypothesis, that there is a direct relationship between early childhood victimization and prostitution. In fact, the case study showed that sexual abuse was a leading predictor of female victims that were found to have been involved in prostitution. Also, physically abused females had the highest rate of participation in prostitution at a rate of 12.8%. In addition to prostitution, there was no significant predictor for those in the control group vs. those in the abuse and/or neglected group for promiscuity. Lastly, teenage pregnancy had no predictor for the overall sample pool and more specifically for the females polled. Moreover, the study concluded that there was no significant

After working in Child Welfare for over a decade, sexual abuse of a child is still the most traumatic abuse that I have ever encountered. This abuse not only affects the victims psychological and mental states, but may also affect their surroundings to include, community, family and friends. Childhood sexual abuse includes engaging in sexual activities with children 0- 17 years of age by way of fondling, touching in a sexual manner, attempting sexual intercourse (oral, anal or vaginal), and having any type of sexual intercourse with children (Dube et al., 2005). This abuse is a major societal problem that presents an array of difficult decisions for those involved in its investigation and substantiation process (London, Bruck, Wright & Ceci, 2007).

Through examination, I found out how sexual abuse can affect the several ladies I know in multiple ways. First, a magnitude of the girls end up in abusive relationships. Second, a few of the young ladies got pregnant in their teenage duration. In the light of these affects, all of them feel like they can't control their sexual behavior anymore. Overwhelmed my temptation, they usually yield to a sexual relationship. From my experience, I have become very passionate about this topic, which is why I am immersed in researching it more.