Title: Child Sexual Abuse | RAINN
Headings: Child Sexual Abuse
Child Sexual Abuse
What is child sexual abuse?
What do perpetrators of child sexual abuse look like?
How can I protect my child from sexual abuse?
What are the warning signs?
Physical signs:
Behavioral signs:
Where can I get help?

Content: A child cannot consent to any form of sexual activity, period. When a perpetrator engages with a child this way, they are committing a crime that can have lasting effects on the victim for years. Child sexual abuse does not need to include physical contact between a perpetrator and a child. Some forms of child sexual abuse include: Exhibitionism, or exposing oneself to a minor
Fondling
Intercourse
Masturbation in the presence of a minor or forcing the minor to masturbate
Obscene phone calls, text messages, or digital interaction
Producing, owning, or sharing pornographic images or movies of children
Sex of any kind with a minor, including vaginal, oral, or anal
Sex trafficking
Any other sexual conduct that is harmful to a child's mental, emotional, or physical welfare
What do perpetrators of child sexual abuse look like? The majority of perpetrators are someone the child or family knows. As many as 93 percent of victims under the age of 18 know the abuser. A perpetrator does not have to be an adult to harm a child. They can have any relationship to the child including an older sibling or playmate, family member, a teacher, a coach or instructor, a caretaker, or the parent of another child. According to 1 in 6, “ [Child] sexual abuse is the result of abusive behavior that takes advantage of a child’s vulnerability and is in no way related to the sexual orientation of the abusive person.”