Introduction
Many times, children who are victims of sexual molestation or abuse rarely talk about it, seek help, or report it either to loved ones or to authorities such as a schoolteacher. Yet the problem is probably more widespread and insidious than society is ready to admit or is aware of. This problem of child sexual abuse (CSA) is an alarming one in our society and seems to be a universal problem. In general, child sexual abusers are typically assumed to be adults, mainly due to the fact that most child abuse cases that are reported and investigated involve adults as the perpetrators. However, this is not entirely true as not all child abusers are adult males. There are many CSA cases involving other children. Therefore, this research proposal will investigate the issue of child-on-child sexual abuse, given that it has not been previously discussed or researched extensively.
To understand the background of such cases and how they impact the lives of the persons involved is of the utmost significance. Children who have experienced sexual abuse are affected even as adults in terms of their abnormal social behaviors, trauma, and sub-normal relations with people in sexual matters. Because most of these sexual disorders have roots from childhood, it is reasonable to focus on this issue. Based on the current study, its results could help to prevent or reduce the level of sexual abuse against children by other children. Perhaps the data can be used as the basis for new policies and approaches against child-on-child sexual abuse. The research will ascertain the level and prevalence of child-on-child sexual abuse, create awareness, and hopefully spur abused children to come out and speak as well as get help. Nowadays, there are 3.0 million children who are abused in the United States (Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute, 2014).
Statement of the Study Issue
Child-on-child sexual abuse refers to sexual molestation directed against children but perpetrated by another child, a group of children, or an adolescent youth. It excludes acts of natural anatomical curiosity and is often accompanied by the use of force or threats. This abuse, however, is difficult to define in all cases. Evidence that a child was the victim of sexual violence is not always obvious because many children do not report that they have been abused, especially if their case involves other children. For these reasons, the issue of child-on-child sexual abuse has not been researched sufficiently. When talking about sexual offenses against children, it is important to underscore the fact that children do not talk about them or fully disclose them until they are much older (Westcott & de Castella, 2012).
The main reasons for hiding this abuse are the misunderstanding of the actions committed against oneself; the wish to protect another child or youth; feelings of guilt; and even as a child, a belief that abuse from another child may be "normal." Other reasons include the wish to be good to one's parents and embarrassment from the sexual abuse experience (Pipe et al., 2007). Moreover, child-on-child sexual abuse is difficult to define because of the different sexual developments of individual children. At the same time, there are generally accepted lines of behavior, including the sexual exploration of the body. Sometimes, this exploration could cause harm, and thus it should be limited by adults' helping with respectful explanations. Except for extreme curiosity, some children may have disabilities, for instance, learning disabilities, and may exhibit sexual behaviors unfit for their age. Such behaviors could cause sexual harm to others or provoke sexual behavior from others that is peculiar to their age (Fyson, 2007).
In the United States, there are 150,000 to 200,000 newly diagnosed CSA cases annually (Finkelhor & Hotaling, 1984). Some regions of the country have implemented policies that require the collection of information about sexual abuse victims. Investigating child-to-child sexual abuse in the United States must take into consideration the large number of newly reported cases annually. In some U.S. regions, tackling the CSA issue with regard to collecting evidence and information on sexual tort victims is undertaken by specially trained people who interview children who have been sexually abused. In court, when the story of the victim has to be repeated, audio and video cassettes are used.
In the United States, the problems of the physical, mental, and sexual abuse of children has reached epidemic proportions. Below are some statistics and facts on the issue of this abuse that are not only alarming, but shocking:
• One in four girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.
• One in six boys are subjected to sexual violence before the age of 18.
• One in five children are sexually harassed at school on the Internet (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).
Almost 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including attacks on adults) were against individuals who were 17 and younger. As oftoday, an estimated 39 million American children have been victims of sexual violence. In prisons, 84% of the inmates were abused as children. Children are often abused by people whom they trust (Finkelhor, 2009). Among these victims, 30% to 40% experience violence by family members. Another 50% are abused by someone outside the family who they know and trust. Approximately 40% are abused by older children they know.
Sexual violence is not only by teenagers as more than 20% of children are sexually abused before the age of eight. About a third of all cases of sexual abuse cases involving children are committed by other children below the age of 18 (Stop it now, 2007). Almost 50% of all victims of forcible sodomy, sexual assault, and attempted rape are children under the age of 12 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).
Most children do not talk about their experience with violence, even if they are asked. It is a malady that is difficult to tackle because adults do not always look at other children as being potential abusers of other children (Stop it now, 2007). The preceding information shows that, while there is many statistics and data on child sexual abuse, those related to child-to-child sexual abuse is scarce, further justifying the need to undertake this research.
Purpose of the Study
This study seeks to establish the level of child-on-child sexual abuse, the prevalence levels, who are most at risk, and the reporting levels. The study also seeks to unearth the extent of this silent social problem in order to create awareness for further action by using scientific investigations and data that this research aspires to generate.Young children are not expected to harm their counterparts as shown by reports about the vi?tims of sexual violen?e that include only 1%-4% of all reported cases and are usually misleading. Seventy-five percent of these reported cases entailed lies about being adult victims of sexual violen?e and 25% of them lied about children being vi?tims; child vi?tims of sexual abuse reported only 0.5% of the cases. The ?onsequen?es of child sexual abuse change the lives of children (as children and later as adults) and their families. Such abuses also have far-reaching consequences for society (USA Today, 2012). These adverse consequences and effects can be seen throughout the lives of the victims, so the impact on society of only one victim continues for several decades. Looking at the impact on society of 39 million sexually abused children portends a disastrous situation (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).
Children who have been vi?tims of sexual violen?e are more likely to have physi?al health problems, are more susceptible to post-traumatic stress symptoms, have sad dispositions, and have more problems in school than children who were not sexually abused. Abused children are also more likely to experien?e depression as adults (Theodore et al., 2005). Young girls who have been sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders. In addition, teens who are vi?tims of violent ?rimes are more likely to experience difficulties in their transition to adulthood, more liable to suffer from finan?ial ruin and physi?al injuries, and have a greater risk of failure in other areas due to problematic behaviors and outcomes of violen?e, including sexual violence. Moreover, sexual violen?e often leads to drug use (Fang et al., 2012). It is therefore important to be aware that sexual abuse by children is relatively as harmful to the children as sexual abuse by adults.
Significance of the Study
The importance of this study is to contribute to the ongoing research, discussions, and studies in the area of child-to-child sexual abuse, as well as contribute to the prevention of this crime. It has been noted that relatively little research has been done on child-to-child sexual abuse. This study will add to the existing body of knowledge about the issue and the prevalence of child sexual abuse in the United States. Previous studies have focused more on child sexual abuse as perpetrated by adults on children, while comparatively little research and literature exist for child-on-child sexual abuse. This study will draw the attention of parents, policy makers, and other stakeholders such as child social welfare services on the prevalence of child-on-child sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the awareness of child-to-child sexual abuse has only recently appeared as a topic of interest, so this research aims at helping to bridge this information and research gap.