Free Essay on the Factors Contributing to Child Sexual Abuse

Age. Though sexual assaults occur across all ages, most victims are the children. According to data, in the United Kingdom, between one third to two thirds of all victims are children under the age of fifteen. Children are more exposed to sexual abuse because of several factor. They trust the people who show care to them like the parents and their caretakers who in turn take advantage of them without even the children expecting it. In the United Kingdom, 90% of CSA victims are abused by close people in their lives. Sexual violence taking place in schools, homes, streets and even human trafficking is mostly associated with a tender age. One in every twenty victims of human trafficking in the United Kingdom are children who find themselves as sex slaves and prostitutes. In 2013 alone, NSSC received more than 1.8 million calls from victims of children trafficking. At this young age, children need to be educated about the dangers they face and how to get help in case of certain attempts or situations.

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Gender. Young girls are more prone to attacks than boys. According to a study carried out in Britain in 2015, girls are exposed up to 3 times than boys are (Putman, 2003). The rate of number of girls exposed to sexual violence seems to be increasing with age unlike that of boys. Girls at adolescence face higher risks of sexual assaults than girls at tender age.

Socioeconomic factors. A low socioeconomic status exposes children to sexual abuse. (Black et al, 2001). This means that the children who are faced with poverty and low social class are more exposed to sexual violence unlike the rich kids with a high social standard. Poverty exposes children to neglect and they are left with no choice other than to look for their own way out. They end up practicing children prostitution and some end up in sexual slavery. Parents should take care of their children no matter the socioeconomic status because they are their responsibility and should protect them against any harm.

Media. Sexually explicit media exposes the children to early involvement in sexual activities where they end up getting sexually assaulted. Pornographic media and adult social media if exposed to the young ones become a major threat leading to sexual assaults. One in every four kids with social media accounts face abusive sexual related acts in the United Kingdom. The children find themselves sending photos and being sent photos with high sexual content and suggestions. They end up being online victims of sexual abuses. The parents need to monitor what their children watch and what they are into on the internet so that they dont fall into victims of online sexual abuse. The government should crack down online children sex abusers and convict them.

Environmental factors. The environment under which the children live can increase the risk of abuse. Children living under poverty and unemployment have the highest likelihood of abuse. In the UK more than 50% of each years victims are from poor and unemployed families. Children living in conflict or post conflict areas have an increased risk for CSA as an act of war. Children separated from their parents, disabled children, the soldiers children, children in detention, children born of rape who are outcasts and children working to earn a leaving have greater risks of getting abused.

Substance and drug abuse. If the children are under care of a drug and substance user, there is a high risk of abuse from the parent or caretaker. Drugs interfere with mental functioning, self-control and judgement. This can influence the parent or caretaker to abuse the child. The number of parents who abuse their children and other children in the United Kingdom increases each year by about one percent.

Health promotion strategies to help adults cope with sexual abuse.

CSA has lifelong effects on the survivors who always feel trapped in the events of the assault. Most adult survivors ignore anything that tends to pull them in the past and some decide to view the event as a normal part of their lives. Many of the adults express the symptoms of their childhood abuse through several ways; most exhibit signs of trauma such as numbing of body parts, panic attacks and a feeling of disconnection from their body; drug abuse to cover their shame; sleep disorders and suicidal thoughts; overwhelming anger and sadness; physical ailments such as gynecological problems, stomach problems, back and neck pains; isolating themselves from other people and difficulties in developing any type of relationships. Most of these problems are caused by a disrupted physiological growth and development due to sexual abuse at a young age.

Adults who experienced sexual abuse at a tender age undergo several coping strategies to help them overcome the trauma they faced. This strategies help them to manage the internal and external stress of the sexual assault. It is often difficult for survivors to seek help (in every one person who seeks help in the United Kingdom, there are eight more who need help and are afraid to ask for it) due some of the following barriers.

Most adult survivors dont want to accept the fact that childhood abuse is a problem. Most of them dont want to seek help because they believe they can take care of their past and get over it. They try not to focus on their problems and turn to focus on the problems and shortcomings of other people.

Most adult survivors dont believe things can get better. The victims of CSA tend to lose hope for their lives and anything else revolving around them. Due to this, they just tend to believe that they faced the worst in life and things can never get better.

CSA survivors fear if they start getting help, the assault will feel fresh and it will consume them. They fear going back to that part of their life and facing the truth.

Fear of rejection and misbelief from the people they seek help from. Most survivors fear that people will push them away if they tell t...