Child-on-child sexual abuse

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Child-on-child sexual abuse is a form of child sexual abuse in which a prepubescent child is sexually abused by one or more other children or adolescents, and in which no adult is directly involved. While this includes one of the children using physical force, threats, trickery or emotional manipulation to elicit cooperation, it also can include non-coercive situations where the initiator proposes or starts a sexual act that the victim does not understand the nature of and simply goes along with, not comprehending its implications or what the consequences might be. [1]

Contents

Child-on-child sexual abuse is differentiated from normative sexual play or anatomical curiosity and exploration (e.g. "playing doctor") because child-on-child sexual abuse is an overt and deliberate action directed at sexual stimulation, including orgasm. [2] When sexual abuse is perpetrated by one sibling upon another, it is known as "inter-sibling abuse". [3] When victims of inter-sibling child-on-child sexual abuse grow up, they often have a distorted recollection of the act, such as thinking it was consensual or that they were the initiator. [4]

Causes

In the case of child-on-child sexual abuse, young children who have not matured sexually are incapable of knowing about specific sex acts without an external source. [5] [6] [7] Consequently, children who initiate or solicit overtly sexual acts with other children either have been sexually victimized beforehand (by an adult or another child) [5] [6] [8] or they have been exposed to sexually explicit material. Research shows that about one-third to one-half of children with problematic sexual behaviors have no history of sexual abuse themselves. [9] In many instances, the perpetrating child has been exposed to pornography or repeatedly witnessed sexual activity of adults at a very young age, and this can also be considered a form of child sexual abuse. [8]

In many cases, a child or adolescent may have no intent to cause any harm to another child, and they act merely on a passing impulse. However, this act may still result in harm to the other child and is a form of child-on-child sexual abuse. [10] Furthermore, children who had experienced an unwanted sexual approach may not understand that this act was crime against themselves. [11]

Prevalence

Research estimates that over half of child sexual abuse offenses in the United States are committed by perpetrators under the age of 18. [12] However, child-on-child sexual abuse frequently goes unreported because it is not widely known about by the public, [2] and often occurs outside of adults' supervision. Even if known by adults, it is sometimes dismissed as harmless by those who do not understand the implications. [2] In particular, inter-sibling abuse is under-reported relative to the reporting rates for parent–child sexual abuse, [3] and disclosure of the incest by the victim during childhood is rare. [4]

Effects

Children who were sexually victimized by other minors, including inter-sibling abuse, show largely the same problems as children victimized by adults, including anxiety disorders, depression, substance abuse, suicide, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders and difficulty trusting peers in the context of relationships. [1] [13] The victim often thinks that the act was normal, including thinking they were the initiator or that they went through the act voluntarily. [4]

Major factors that affect the severity of symptoms include the use of force or coercion, the frequency of the abuse, and the invasiveness of the act. [14] An increased risk of victimization later in life has also been reported. [15]

The term minor sex offenders may be used for children under 18 years of age who have initiated any non-consensual sexual activity with another person. This population may be viewed as a younger version of sexual perpetrators and may be assessed as part of a same group, when they represent a significant heterogenous group. For example, these children tend to exhibit different motivations for their actions than adult sexual offenders and they tend to respond more favorably to treatment. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

Incest is sex between close relatives, for example a brother or sister or cousins. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity, and sometimes those related by lineage. It is condemned and considered immoral in most societies, given that it can lead to an increased risk of genetic disorders in children in case of pregnancy from incestuous sex.

Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence that includes child sexual abuse, groping, rape, drug facilitated sexual assault, and the torture of the person in a sexual manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child sexuality</span> Sexuality of children

Sexual behaviors in children are common, and may range from normal and developmentally appropriate to abusive. These behaviors may include self-stimulation, interest in sex, curiosity about their own or other genders, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender role behaviors, and engagement in interpersonal sexual acts.

Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other types of aggression. To these descriptions, one can also add the Kantian notion of the wrongness of using another human being as means to an end rather than as ends in themselves. Some sources describe abuse as "socially constructed", which means there may be more or less recognition of the suffering of a victim at different times and societies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical abuse</span> Medical condition

Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. In most cases, children are the victims of physical abuse, but adults can also be victims, as in cases of domestic violence or workplace aggression. Alternative terms sometimes used include physical assault or physical violence, and may also include sexual abuse. Physical abuse may involve more than one abuser, and more than one victim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dysfunctional family</span> Family dynamic

A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior and often child neglect or abuse on the part of individual parents occur continuously and regularly. Children that grow up in such families may think such a situation is normal. Dysfunctional families are primarily a result of two adults, one typically overtly abusive and the other codependent, and may also be affected by substance abuse or other forms of addiction, or sometimes by an untreated mental illness. Parents having grown up in a dysfunctional family may over-correct or emulate their own parents. In some cases, the dominant parent will abuse or neglect their children and the other parent will not object, misleading a child to assume blame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child abuse</span> Maltreatment or neglect of a child

Child abuse is physical, sexual, emotional and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or a caregiver that results in actual or potential wrongful harm to a child and can occur in a child's home, or in organizations, schools, or communities the child interacts with.

Verbal abuse is a type of psychological/mental abuse that involves the use of oral, gestured, and written language directed to a victim. Verbal abuse can include the act of harassing, labeling, insulting, scolding, rebuking, or excessive yelling towards an individual. It can also include the use of derogatory terms, the delivery of statements intended to frighten, humiliate, denigrate, or belittle a person. These kinds of attacks may result in mental and/or emotional distress for the victim.

Factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA), also known as fabricated or induced illness by carers (FII) and first named as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP) after Munchausen syndrome, is a mental health disorder in which a caregiver creates the appearance of health problems in another person, typically their child, and sometimes (rarely) when an adult simulates an illness in another adult partner. This might include altering test samples or injuring a child. The caregiver or partner then presents the person as being sick or injured. Permanent injury or death of the victim can occur as a result of the disorder. The behaviour might be motivated by the caregiver or partner seeking sympathy or attention.

Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. Sexual abuse is a term used for a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser. Live streaming sexual abuse involves trafficking and coerced sexual acts, and/or rape, in real time on webcam.

Sibling abuse includes the physical, psychological, or sexual abuse of one sibling by another. More often than not, the younger sibling is abused by the older sibling. Sibling abuse is the most common of family violence in the US, but the least reported. As opposed to sibling rivalry, sibling abuse is characterized by the one-sided treatment of one sibling to another.

Rape trauma syndrome (RTS) is the psychological trauma experienced by a rape survivor that includes disruptions to normal physical, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal behavior. The theory was first described by nurse Ann Wolbert Burgess and sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom in 1974.

Victimisation is the state or process of being victimised or becoming a victim. The field that studies the process, rates, incidence, effects, and prevalence of victimisation is called victimology.

Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child, indecent exposure, child grooming, and child sexual exploitation, such as using a child to produce child pornography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sibling relationship</span> Relationship between siblings

Siblings play a unique role in one another's lives that simulates the companionship of parents as well as the influence and assistance of friends. Because siblings often grow up in the same household, they have a large amount of exposure to one another, like other members of the immediate family. However, though a sibling relationship can have both hierarchical and reciprocal elements, this relationship tends to be more egalitarian and symmetrical than with family members of other generations. Furthermore, sibling relationships often reflect the overall condition of cohesiveness within a family.

Victimization refers to a person being made into a victim by someone else and can take on psychological as well as physical forms, both of which are damaging to victims. Forms of victimization include bullying or peer victimization, physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, robbery, and assault. Some of these forms of victimization are commonly associated with certain populations, but they can happen to others as well. For example, bullying or peer victimization is most commonly studied in children and adolescents but also takes place between adults. Although anyone may be victimized, particular groups may be more susceptible to certain types of victimization and as a result to the symptoms and consequences that follow. Individuals respond to victimization in a wide variety of ways, so noticeable symptoms of victimization will vary from person to person. These symptoms may take on several different forms, be associated with specific forms of victimization, and be moderated by individual characteristics of the victim and/or experiences after victimization.

The effects of domestic violence on children have a tremendous impact on the well-being and developmental growth of children witnessing it. Children can be exposed to domestic violence in a multitude of ways and goes beyond witnessing or overhearing, although there is disagreement in how it should be measured. Children who are exposed to domestic violence in the home often believe that they are to blame, live in a constant state of fear, and are 15 times more likely to be victims of child abuse. Close observation during an interaction can alert providers to the need for further investigation and intervention, such as dysfunctions in the physical, behavioral, emotional, and social areas of life, and can aid in early intervention and assistance for child victims.

Sexual abuse in primary and secondary schools also referred to as molestation, is an abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another especially in people who are underaged and concerns child sexual abuse, occurring in educational institutions from kindergarten through secondary education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navajo reservations and domestic abuse</span>

Domestic violence is a prevalent issue dating back to the early 1900s on the Navajo Nation. Domestic violence is defined not only as violence but also any form of abuse in a domestic setting. Incidence on the Navajo Reservation though possibly under-reported is on a steady incline. There are many sociological tendencies of Navajo Reservation Natives surrounding domestic violence on the reservation. Domestic violence is correlated to substance abuse, social network, childhood abuse, governmental assimilation efforts and risk factors in adults. Influence on sociological tendency comes from both internal and external forces. Internally the viscosity of Navajo culture largely influences the behavioral patterns involving domestic violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juvenile sex offenders in the United States</span>

A juvenile sex crime is defined as a legally proscribed sexual crime committed without consent by a minor under the age of 18. The act involves coercion, manipulation, a power imbalance between the perpetrator and victim, and threats of violence. The sexual offenses that fall under juvenile sex crimes range from non-contact to penetration. The severity of the sexual assault in the crime committed is often the amount of trauma and/or injuries the victim has suffered. Typically within these crimes, female children are the majority demographic of those targeted and the majority of offenders are male. Juvenile sex offenders are different than adult sex offenders in a few ways, as captured by National Incident Based Reporting System: they are more likely to be committed in school, offend in groups and against acquaintances, target young children as victims, and to have a male victim, whereas they are less likely than their adult counterpart to commit rape.

References

  1. 1 2 Shaw, J (2000). "Child on child sexual abuse: Psychological perspectives". Child Abuse & Neglect. 24 (12): 1591–1600. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(00)00212-X. PMID   11197037.
  2. 1 2 3 Loseke, Donileen R.; Gelles, Richard J.; Cavanaugh, Mary M. (2005). Current Controversies on Family Violence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc. ISBN   978-0-7619-2106-6.
  3. 1 2 John V. Caffaroa; Allison Conn-Caffaro (July–August 2005). "Treating sibling abuse families". Aggression and Violent Behavior. 10 (5): 604–623. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2004.12.001.
  4. 1 2 3 Carlson, Bonnie E.; MacIol, Katherine; Schneider, Joanne (2006). "Sibling Incest: Reports from Forty-One Survivors". Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. 15 (4): 19–34. doi:10.1300/J070v15n04_02. PMID   17200052. S2CID   20799279.
  5. 1 2 Drew Pinsky, MD and Ted Stryker (November 5, 2007) "Loveline" Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (audio interview, 0:38:45-0:40:31). lovelineshow.com. Retrieved November 15, 2007.
  6. 1 2 Bromberg, Daniel S.; Johnson, Blair T. (2001). "Sexual interest in children, child sexual abuse, and psychological sequelae for children". Psychology in the Schools. 38 (4): 343–355. doi:10.1002/pits.1023.
  7. ↑ Gray, A; Pithers, WD; Busconi, A; Houchens, P (1999). "Developmental and etiological characteristics of children with sexual behavior problems: Treatment implications". Child Abuse & Neglect. 23 (6): 601–21. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00027-7. PMID   10391518.
  8. 1 2 Gray, Alison; Busconi, Aida; Houchens, Paul; Pithers, William D. (1997). "Children with sexual behavior problems and their caregivers: Demographics, functioning, and clinical patterns". Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 9 (4): 267–290. doi:10.1007/BF02674853.
  9. ↑ "What Causes a Sexual Behavior Problem? | National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth". www.ncsby.org. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  10. ↑ "Do Children Sexually Abuse Other Children? Preventing Sexual Abuse Among Children and Youth" Archived 2017-09-02 at the Wayback Machine , "Stop It Now!", 2007
  11. 1 2 Craig, Elaine (2020-08-17). "Child's Play or Sexual Abuse? Reviewing the Efficacy of the Justice Framework in Dealing with Child on Child Sexual Abuse in the United Kingdom". Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. 29 (6): 734–748. doi:10.1080/10538712.2020.1719448. ISSN   1053-8712. PMID   32286188. S2CID   215758238.
  12. ↑ Finkelhor, David; Shattuck, Anne; Turner, Heather A.; Hamby, Sherry L. (September 2014). "The lifetime prevalence of child sexual abuse and sexual assault assessed in late adolescence". The Journal of Adolescent Health. 55 (3): 329–333. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.12.026. ISSN   1879-1972. PMID   24582321.
  13. ↑ Jane M. Rudd; Sharon D. Herzbergerb (September 1999). "Brother-sister incest—father-daughter incest: a comparison of characteristics and consequences". Child Abuse & Neglect. 23 (9): 915–928. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00058-7. PMID   10505905.
  14. ↑ Brown, Janelle C., Ph.D. (September, 2004). "Child-on-child sexual abuse: An investigation of behavioral and emotional sequelae," University of Pennsylvania, p. 1539.
  15. ↑ Arata, Catalina M. (2006). "Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Re-victimization". Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 9 (2): 135–164. doi:10.1093/clipsy.9.2.135.
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