One in 10 children will be the victim of sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. There is an estimated 42 million adult survivors of sexual abuse living in the United States today. Child sexual abuse takes many forms, and they aren’t just physical. At its core, sexual abuse is any sexual act between an adult and a minor, or between two minors when one exerts power over the other. It also includes non-contact acts such as exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, and voyeurism.
Child sexual abuse can occur anywhere. It happens in places like homes, neighborhoods, schools, and youth sports environments, but it also occurs online, such as child pornography or communicating in a sexual manner by phone or internet.
Source: Darkness to Light
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
Recognize Child Sexual Abuse
The following physical, behavioral, and emotional signs are not meant to serve as an exhaustive list of the ways children experiencing sexual abuse may act, feel, or work through their trauma. A child’s response is unique to them as an individual and may or may not include the common signs mentioned.
Physical Signs
  • Sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy
  • Unexplained injuries, especially to the genital area
  • Pain, bleeding, or discharge in the genitals, anus, or mouth
  • Persistent or recurring pain with urination or bowel movements
  • Toileting accidents unrelated to toilet training
Behavioral signs
  • Knowledge about sexual topics that goes beyond the child’s developmental stage (or what is expected for them to know about at their age)
  • Withdrawal from previously regular interactions and conversations with peers and parents or activities they previously enjoyed
  • Desire to spend an unusual amount of time alone
  • Reluctance to leave school or other activities; not wanting to go home
  • Trying to avoid certain places or people, especially if they used to be excited to be around those people
  • Regressing to behaviors they had grown out of such as wetting the bed or sucking their thumb
  • Sexual language, knowledge, or behavior that does not match a child’s age (such as acting out a sexual act with toys or inappropriate sexual contact with other children)
  • Frequent absences from school or other activities
  • Having money, toys, or gifts without being able to explain where they came from
  • Refusing to share secrets they share with an older child or adult
  • Talking about a new friend that is an older child or adult
  • Removing clothing at inappropriate times
  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Running away from home
  • Fear of closeness with others
Emotional Signs
  • Self-harm behaviors (such as cutting or burning) or suicidal behavior
  • Nightmares, trouble sleeping, or fear of being alone at night
  • Change in mood or personality
  • New or increased depression, aggression, worry, or fearfulness
  • Changes in eating habits
  • Decrease in confidence or the way they feel about themselves
  • Thinking of their body as bad or dirty
  • Losing interest in school, friends, hobbies, or things they used to love
Source: ​Keeping Kids Safe: Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse - Creating Safe Environments for Youth (msu.edu)
Learn More About Child Sexual Abuse
Consequences of Child Sexual Abuse
Experiencing child sexual abuse is an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that can affect how a person thinks, acts, and feels over a lifetime, resulting in short- and long-term physical and mental/emotional health consequences.
Physical health consequences
Examples of physical health consequences include:
  • sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • physical injuries
  • chronic conditions later in life, such as heart disease, obesity, and cancer
Mental Health consequences
Examples of mental health consequences include:
  • depression
  • posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms
Behavioral Consequences
Examples of behavioral consequences include:
  • substance use/misuse including opioid misuse
  • risky sexual behaviors, meaning behaviors that could result in pregnancy or STIs such as not using condoms or other contraceptives, or sex with multiple partners
  • increased risk for suicide or suicide attempts
Revictimization 
Another outcome commonly associated with child sexual abuse is an increased risk of re-victimization throughout a person’s life. For example, recent studies have found:
  • Females exposed to child sexual abuse are at 2-13 times increased risk of sexual victimization in adulthood
  • Individuals who experienced child sexual abuse are at twice the risk for non-sexual intimate partner violence
Source: Center for Disease Control 
Helpful Links
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC

Child Sexual Abuse: About the Issue - Darkness to Light (d2l.org)

Stop It Now | Stop It Now

Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptoms

​New York State Children's Alliance

Southern Tier Child Advocacy Center