Child Sexual Abuse

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is defined as sexual touching and sexual penetration of children. The definition generally includes attempts to touch or penetrate the child as well as completed assaults. There are other forms of illegal or unwanted sexual experiences such as exposure, peeping, or sexual harassment in the form of talking in a sexually inappropriate or intimidating way.

Prevalence

1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18.
1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the Internet.

Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under.
An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today.

Original statistics compiled from Darkness to Light retrieved information from The Children's Advocacy Centers of Washington

Legal Considerations

All forms of sexual contact by an adult with a child are illegal regardless of the circumstances, the use of force or threats, or the child's behavior. The law is based on the premise that children are unable to consent to sex with adults.

The law also applies to teenagers who use force to have sex or have sex with children who are significantly younger. The same laws apply to teenage and adult offenders, although the penalties are different. The laws that are specific to children do not require proving that force was used or that there was a lack of consent. The child-specific laws make some distinctions based on age differences between the victim and offender.

Sexual contact by a child under the age of twelve with a younger child can only be prosecuted under very specific circumstances. When the offending child is between the ages of eight and eleven it is possible to prosecute if certain legal requirements are met, but this is rare. Children under eight years of age cannot be prosecuted regardless of the behavior.

RCW that define CSA: available at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.44

9A.44.073 Rape of a child in the first degree.
9A.44.076 Rape of a child in the second degree.
9A.44.079 Rape of a child in the third degree.
9A.44.083 Child molestation in the first degree.
9A.44.086 Child molestation in the second degree.
9A.44.089 Child molestation in the third degree.
9A.44.093 Sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree.
9A.44.096 Sexual misconduct with a minor in the second degree.
9A.44.115 Voyeurism.
9A.44.120 Admissibility of child's statement -- Conditions
9A.44.150 Testimony of child by closed-circuit television.
9A.44.190 Criminal trespass against children -- Definitions.
9A.44.193 Criminal trespass against children -- Covered entities.
9A.44.196 Criminal trespass against children.

From Hurt to Hope - A Child Sexual Abuse/Assault Advocacy Guide

Download the complete guide in PDF or each section individually

What Advocates Need to Know About Therapy - Working with Children, Adolescents, and Families

Download the complete guide in PDF

A Sexual Abuse and Assault Therapy Resource Guide

Child Victim Rights Cards

Brochure inserts
English, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Spanish, Russian, German
CPOD inserts
English, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Spanish, Russian, German

Additional Resources and Tools

Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress

National Center for Victims of Crime ~ Teen Victim Project

Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light has the mission to "empower people to prevent child sexual abuse." Their programs are designed to "raise awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse by educating adults about the steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse."

Children's Advocacy Centers of Washington State
"Children's Advocacy Centers offer a new way of serving abused children through a comprehensive approach to services for victims and their families. These programs are designed by professionals and volunteers responding to the needs of their own communities." This site contains a list of the Children's Advocacy Centers in WA state, supplemental information on child sexual abuse, and information on legislative advocacy related to child abuse.

Providing Health Care to Minors under Washington Law

Nonoffending Caregiver Resources
A list of additional resources that accompany the Research & Advocacy Digest: Working with Nonoffending Caregivers of Children That Have Been Sexually Abused. (June 2009).

National Child Traumatic Stress Network
The Mission of the NCTSN is "to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States."

The WCSAP library also has a number of books addressing CSA.

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