Child Sexual Abuse – Prevention, Identification and Eradication
Date of Meeting: 25 March 2021
Meeting Organizer: Pathways To Peace
ISJC Staff Present: Captain Eunyoung In
Reporter: Captain Eunyoung In
Which SDG does this topic cover? 3,5
Type of meeting: Commission on the Status of Women Parallel Event (Panel Presentation/ Small Group conversation/ Q&A )
Brief summary of presentation of information made
Marlenis Rosa (Pathways To Peace, United Nations Representative)
A. Child Sexual Abuse
- The involvement of a child in sexual activity that he/she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the laws or social taboos of society.
B. Forms of CSA 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/ Sex trafficking/Any other sexual conduct that is harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare/ CSA is a violation of trust and/ or authority
C. How can I protect a child from sexual abuse?
- Remember that the one who is to blame is the perpetrator, not you and especially not the child.
- Be involved in the child’s life/show interest in their day-to-day lives
- Get to know the people in the child’s life
- Choose caregivers carefully
- Talk about the media • Know the warning signs
- Encourage children to speak up/ let them know they won’t get in trouble
- Teach your child about boundaries/ how to talk about their bodies/ their body parts
- Be available/ Give them your undivided attention • Give them a chance to raise new topics/ ask open-ended questions
D. What are the warning signs?
1. Physical signs:
- Bleeding, bruises, or swelling in genital area
- Bloody, torn, or stained undergarments
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Frequent urinary or yeast infections
- Pain, itching, or burning in genital area
2. Behavioural signs:
- Changes in hygiene-refusing to bathe or bathing excessively
- Develops phobias
- Exhibits signs of depression or PTSD
- Expresses suicidal thoughts, especially in adolescents
- Has trouble in school-absences or drops in grades
- Inappropriate sexual knowledge or behaviours
- Nightmares or bedwetting
- Overly protective and concerned for siblings, or assumes a caretaker role
- Self-harms
- Shrinks away or seems threatened by physical contact
E. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
F. How can CSA be eradicated?
- Educate yourself and others to reduce risk factors
- Start early
- Teach children their rights
- Support prevention programs
- Get involved in your community
- Report abuse
- Prevention through education Small Room Conversation: How can you make difference?
- Transparency
- Public education, prevention
- Making the atmosphere to speak up for kids
Q&A
The youth and children still love and miss their family, after being raped by one of their family members. What are the programmes or recommendations for the victims’ recovery?
- Child Protective Agency and Child Advocacy Center work together to make sure that the child gets the services. After medical evaluations, (which include physical and psychological evaluation) the results determine what services victims need. Child goes to Psycho- social Evaluation with parent or care giver (not the abuser). The parent or the care giver speak to the child privately what he/she has been through. With child protective services, kids are linked to therapists. Behaviour therapists guide them how to control their emotion.
What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?
The Salvation Army have Standards and Policies of Child Protection. The Salvation Army has the opportunity to work towards prevention through education and care which will be the best way to protect children at home and schools.