By learning the early warning signs and how to effectively step in and speak up, sexual abuse can be stopped before it starts and a child is harmed. Most often child sexual abuse is a gradual process and not a single event. ![]() For more information see our FAQ: Can child sexual abuse also involve a child sexually abusing another child? A Gradual Process Sexual touching between children can also be sexually harmful or abusive when there is a significant age difference (often defined as 3 or more years) between the children, if the children are very different developmentally or size-wise, or if it involves adult-like sexual behavior from an older child to a younger child. Child sexual abuse also includes the manufacture, distribution and viewing of child pornography, now called child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Contact sexual abuse (sexual abuse that involves physical contact) can include making a child touch another youth or adult sexually, putting objects, body parts or a mouth on or in a child’s sexual organs, and any other sexual touching from an adult to a child. Some of examples of non-contact sexual abuse (sexual abuse that does not involve physical contact) includes an adult exposing their genitals to a child, showing pornography to a child, inapparopriately peeking in on a youth when they’re changing or showering, and masturbating in front of a child. If an adult engages in any sexual behavior (looking, showing, or touching) with a child to meet the adult’s interest or sexual needs, it is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse does not have to involve penetration, force, pain, or even touching. All sexual touching between an adult and a child is sexual abuse. ![]() If you are not exactly sure what sexual abuse is, you’re not alone.
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