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Sexual Abuse as a Social Problem

Sexual abuse, like many forms of abuse, has been a persistent problem throughout history. It has been with us since biblical times; in the Old Testament (2 Samuel 13) there is a story of Tamar, the young daughter of King David, being raped by her older brother Amnon. It is apparent that the issue of sexual abuse is not a new social problem, but a growing one. Everyday, over 1,800 adult women are raped nationwide. In 1994, 345,000 sexual abuse incidents were reported to Child Protective Services in the U.S., which is a staggeringly high number considering it is estimated that only 10% of all cases are reported to authorities. A survey done by the Child Abuse Studies Unit of the University of North London and revealed that one in two girls (59%) and one in four boys (27%) will experience child sexual abuse by the time they are 18. Aside from the fact that it is morally wrong to force or coax an individual into doing something unwillingly, the after affects of this sort of trauma is long lasting and devastating.

Sexual abuse as defined by the Department of Health, Education and Home Office in their document "Working Together To Safeguard Children" 1999, " involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (rape or sodomy) or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways." The increasing popularity of the Internet has given predators a new way to reach potential victims: About one out of every five children online is approached in a sexual way, and of those, only 25 percent tell their parents, according to the center for abused children in...