A meta-analysis of the relationship of child sexual abuse to adult psychological adjustment
"This paper reports on meta-analyses of the relations of child sexual abuse to adult psychological adjustment. Results indicated statistically significant relationships between the experience of child sexual abuse and subsequent difficulties in psychological adjustment as measured by psychological symptomatology, depression, and self-esteem."
Child Abuse and Domestic Violence
Discussion of the study, "Relation Between Childhood Sexual and Physical Abuse and Risk of Revictimisation in Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey", that shows women who are physically and/or sexually abused in childhood are at risk of being victims of abuse as adults.
Child Abuse and Safety Web Videos by Marc Klaas
This site offers useful information on child safety in the home and in cyberspace.
Child Sexual Abuse and Subsequent Psychopathology: Results From the National Comorbidity Survey
"This study examines the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and subsequent onset of psychiatric disorders, accounting for other childhood adversities, CSA type, and chronicity of the abuse."
Childhood Sex Abuse Increases Risk for Drug Dependence in Adult Women
"The article briefly discusses the data results gathered from interviews of women revealing that those who experienced any type of sexual abuse in their childhood were roughly three times more likely than unabused girls to report drug dependence as adults."
Children with Sexual Behavior Problems: Common Misconceptions vs. Current Findings (pdf)
"This fact sheet provides information about children who demonstrate developmentally inappropriate or aggressive sexual behavior. It addresses some common myths about this population and provides findings from research on the issue."
Children's Rights: Children's Labor
Article discusses international child labor by focusing on bonded child labor and trafficking.
Debunking the Myths in the US Global AIDS Strategy: An Evidence Based Analysis (pdf)
This evidence based research document criticizes assumptions that American global strategies on AIDS stand on and describes how such assumptions harm women and girls.
Do Children Sexually Abuse Other Children? (pdf)
This is a piece of education material intended for all audiences that overviews childhood sexual abuse and the high incidence rates of children under the age of 18 years that are perpetrators.
Domestic Violence Against Women and Girls
"Highlights issues of abuse; femicide; forced prostitution; sexual abuse of children; sex-selective abortion, female infanticide and differential access to food and medical care; and, traditional and cultural practices that affect women's health and lives."
"Highlights the 2 most prevalent types of abuse in the lives of women and girls around the world: intimate partner violence and rape. Demonstrates how world-wide gender-based violence is a major public health concern, suggesting strategies to respond."
"The present study was designed to examine the extent to which ethnic differences in the circumstances of abuse would be related to psychological outcomes and whether the relationship of ethnicity to psychological outcomes would be independent of ethnic differences in the circumstances of abuse."
Facts About Child Sex Tourism (pdf)
This provides a brief overview of the sexual exploitation of children worldwide. This fact sheet includes a definition of child sex tourism, both the global and U.S. response, and suggestions for what governments, citizens and business can do to combat child sex tourism.
Facts About Those Who Might Commit It (pdf)
A booklet that provides information about people who may commit child sexual abuse. Additional facts regarding what to look for in children who may have been abused and the need to develop a safety plan are included.
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A statistical exploration
"This publication analyzes available statistics on female genital mutilation/cutting, with the aim of improving understanding of related issues in the wider context of gender equality and social change."
Fractured Families, Fragile Children - The Sexual Vulnerability of Girls in the Aftermath of Divorce
" This article examines overwhelming empirical evidence in countries as geographically and culturally diverse as Costa Rica, Finland, South Africa and Taiwan confirming that divorce magnifies a girl's risk of molestation. This evidence shows that a female child faces a significantly elevated risk of being sexually abused after her parents divorce, either at the hands of a parent, a parent's partner or someone outside the home. Because courts have failed to grasp the extent to which girls in fractured families are at risk of sexual abuse, this article seeks to provide a framework for understanding the link between marital breakdown and subsequent sexual abuse."
This handbook is designed to help health professionals address the health care needs of adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. It provides background information about childhood sexual abuse and its effects on survivors. It also introduces the principles of sensitive practice and provides practical suggestions that health professionals can incorporate into their clinical practice.
Human Trafficking of Children in the United States: A Fact Sheet for Schools
"This fact sheet was developed for those working in school settings and provides an overview of human trafficking, how it affects schools, tips for identifying victims, and steps for reporting human trafficking."
Let's Talk: Adults Talking to Adults about Child Sexual Abuse (pdf)
The brochure also outlines what someone can do in three very different circumstances:how to report if someone finds out that abuse has been perpetrated, how to add in protective factors if no child has been abused, but someone is at risk to abuse, and how to talk about healthy sexual development when the lines of communication need to be opened.
This report details 173 incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence, involving 625 girls and women, committed by Burmese army troops in Shan State, mostly between 1996 and 2001. The report reveals that the Burmese military regime is allowing its troops systematically and on a widespread scale to commit rape with impunity in order to terrorize and subjugate the ethnic peoples of Shan State. The report illustrates there is a strong case that war crimes and crimes against humanity, in the form of sexual violence, have occurred and continue to occur in Shan State.
Mothers of Sexually Abused Children: Trauma and Repair in Longitudinal Perspective
This study addressed the increase in maternal psychological stress that develops following the disclosure of their child's sexual abuse. A mother's stress is often correlated and associated with the child's coping skills and level of stress, thus it is extremely important to work with mother on relieving/alleviating their stress so as to in turn work the child at healing from their sexual trauma.
Profiting from abuse: An investigation into the sexual exploitation of children (pdf)
"Highlights ways children are sexually exploited around the world, factors contributing to this exploitation, and responses various states, communities, organizations, and individuals have taken to respond to/prevent/decrease child sexual exploitation."
Protecting Children in Cyberspace: The ICAC Task Force Program (pdf)
January 2002 Bulletin. Discusses efforts by OJJDP's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program that address emerging online threats, such as computer-facilitated sex crimes, directed at children and teenagers. The ICAC Task Force Program helps State and local law enforcement agencies develop effective responses to online enticement and child pornography offenses. Responses include investigative, forensic, community education, and victim service components. The information in this OJJDP Bulletin is intended to help parents, policymakers, and practitioners create an Internet environment in which children can participate safely.
Presents findings from the National Incident-Based Reporting System regarding sexual assault, especially young children.
Statistics Surrounding Child Sexual Abuse
"This one-pager presents statistics surrounding the issue of child sexual abuse."
The Facts About Child Sex Tourism (pdf)
"This fact sheet includes a definition of child sex tourism, both the global and U.S. response, and suggestions for what governments, citizens and business can do to combat child sex tourism."
The Four R's of Prevention: Back to School Safety In & Out of the Classroom by Stop It Now!
"This article offers a review for adults of the Four R's of preventing child sexual abuse - Rules, Reading, Respect, and Responsibility - and offers tips on each one."
The Health Impacts on Adult Women of Childhood Sexual Violence Before the Age of Twelve Years
This is a 1998 report by seven authors of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. The authors describe the health consequences in adulthood that often emerge as a consequence of childhood sexual violence. High rates of depression and dissociation resulted, as well as a low rate of school completion. The experiences of women when they sought help are described.
The Hofstede Committee Report: Juvenile Prostitution in Minnesota (pdf)
This report provides an overview of juvenile prostitution, the sex industry in Minnesota, and efforts to end juvenile prostitution. This report also recommends tougher penalties for people who exploit children and teenagers.
The Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Girls (pdf)
This report of a consultative meeting is intended to contribute to the United Nations study on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Girls, requested by the United Nations Security Council. This report reflects the purpose of the meeting which was twofold: first, to examine and explore the impact of armed conflict on women and girls; and, second, to formulate strategies and tools to ensure that reproductive health programmes accurately reflect this population’s needs, specifically by addressing them through a comprehensive, gendersensitive approach.
The Prevalence and Circumstances of Child Sexual Abuse among Latina Women
"This study examined the prevalence and circumstances of child sexual abuse in a community sample of Latina women, 18 to 50 years of age. Chi-square tests of independence and t-test procedures were used to assess the prevalence, characteristics of the victim, assault, perpetrator, disclosure, and long-term effects. One in three Latina women reported incidents of sexual abuse, regardless of acculturation or citizenship status. More than one third of the women also experienced revictimization, with more than 80% of initial incidents occurring from the age of 7 years. Treatment implications and community-based interventions for Latina survivors of child sexual abuse are discussed."
"This integrative review synthesizes the findings of 16 cross-sectional surveys (25 hypotheses) on the prevalence of child abuse among nonclinical, North American samples. Given the large human costs, both personal and social, of child abuse, and the identified gap in the requisite knowledge needed to steer effective preventive and treatment interventions, it is time to invest in a large, methodologically rigorous, population-based study of child abuse which, if it does nothing else, spares no expense in ensuring very high participation."
The Traumatic Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: A Conceptualization (pdf)
"In this paper a framework is proposed for a more systematic understanding of the effects of child sexual abuse. Four traumagenic dynamics – traumatic sexualization, betrayal, stigmatization, and powerlessness – are identified as the core of the psychological injury inflicted by abuse. These dynamics can be used to make assessments of victimized children and to anticipate problems to which these children may be vulnerable subsequently. Implications for research are also considered."
The War Within the War: Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls in Eastern Congo
This report documents the frequent and sometimes systematic use of rape and other forms of sexual violence in the Rwandan-occupied areas of eastern Congo. This report focuses on crimes of sexual violence committed by soldiers and other combatants. But rape and other sexual crimes are not just carried out by armed factions but also increasingly by police and others in positions of authority and power, and by opportunistic common criminals and bandits, taking advantage of the prevailing climate of impunity and the culture of violence against women and girls.
Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation (pdf)
"This fact sheet provides a brief overview of sex trafficking of women and children in the Americas and explores the life-threatening health consequences of this type of human trafficking."
Understanding and Protecting Your Children from Child Molesters and Predators
"This packet provides information about child molesters and some of the things you, your family and community can do to help keep children safe."
United Nations Report on Violence Against Children
The report describes the scope and nature of violence against children and its impact, approaching its subject from the perspectives of human rights, child protection, and public health. The report is available in 8 languages.
We'll Kill You If You Cry: Sexual Violence in Sierra Leone Conflict
The report presents evidence of horrific abuses against women and girls in every region of Sierra Leone by the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF), as well as other rebel, government and international peacekeeping forces. The report is based on hundreds of interviews with victims, witnesses and officials, details crimes of sexual violence committed primarily by soldiers of various rebel forces —the RUF, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and the West Side Boys. The report also examines sexual violence by government forces and militias, as well as international peacekeepers.