Title: When Does Touching Cross the Line to Child Sexual Abuse? | The Mallard Law Firm
Headings: Is inappropriate touching considered child sexual abuse?
Is inappropriate touching considered child sexual abuse?
by Damian Mallard, Esq.

Content: Being groped
Having someone rub your thighs
Being forced to sit on someone’s lap
Having your buttocks grabbed or rubbed
Having your breasts touched
Having your private parts fondled
When people think of child sexual abuse they often assume that intercourse had to have occurred; however, this is not true. Unwanted touching such as groping and touching of private parts is considered child sexual abuse. Additionally, being subjected to pornography or forced to take nude photographs is child sexual abuse, as is oral and anal sex. Sadly, children are often intimidated, threatened, or they feel guilty, which is why they often don’t tell anyone about being touched inappropriately by a coach, leader at church, teacher, Boy Scout troop leader or member, or by any other adult or child. Additionally, many children are confused about what happened and whether it is or isn’t considered sexual abuse. What children and their parents need to know is that abusers often start out with groping and inappropriate touching—coercing children into it. Sometimes children don’t even know that sexual behavior has occurred until the abuser graduates to the next level and it is more obvious, such as asking the child to touch the abuser’s private parts or engage in a sexual activity. Just because inappropriate touching doesn’t involve intercourse, doesn’t mean that it is harmless. In fact, many children have been emotionally scarred for life by being touched by someone against their will.