Child Sexual Abuse and At-Risk Youth

Paper Summary:

This paper investigates how the sexual abuse of children has an effect on at-risk youth behavior. The paper explains the relationship between being sexually abused as a child and youth behavior and then takes a look at how this problem is being addressed by the family, school, social service agencies and/or the government. The paper also focuses on ways to assist children, who have been sexually abused, avoid at-risk behaviors.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Sexual Abuse Of Children And Its Impacts
How Sexual Abuse Of Children Has An Affect On At-Risk Youth Behavior
How This Problem Is Being Addressed
Solutions To Assist Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused

From the Paper:

"Lastly this particular research also found that depression did not necessarily explain the correlation between child sexual abuse and high risk sexual behaviors. This finding is actually consistent with previous research which has evaluated the interaction effects of emotional status and sexual abuse as it related to high risk sexual behaviors. The study found there were no interaction effects of depression on the correlation between child sexual abuse and sexuality variables such as the amount of unwanted pregnancies (Addy et al 2003). On the other hand, girls with high anxiety scores who also had experienced child sexual abuse had the most significant number of unwanted pregnancies (Addy et al 2003). In addition, Morrill, Kasten, Urato, and Larson (2001) discovered that depression and problems with drug and alcohol addiction did not serve as a link between sexual abuse and sexual risk in a sample of both women and men in substance abuse facilities in Massachusetts (Addy et al 2003). Overall such findings propose that the affects of child sexual abuse impact sexual behaviors through a social learning process (Addy et al 2003). That is this process is developed as a result of modeling and reinforcement as opposed to indirect contributory factors such as depression (Addy et al 2003)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Addy, R. C., Buzi, R. S., Tortolero, S. R., Roberts, R. E., Ross, M. W., & Markham, C. M. (2003). The Impact of a History of Sexual Abuse on High-Risk Sexual Behaviors among Females Attending Alternative Schools. Adolescence, 38(152), 595+.
• Freeman, R. C., Collier, K., & Parillo, K. M. (2002). Early Life Sexual Abuse as a Risk Factor for Crack Cocaine Use in a Sample of Community-Recruited Women at High Risk for Illicit Drug Use. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 28(1), 109+.
• Itzin, C. (Ed.). (2000). Home Truths about Child Sexual Abuse: A Reader. London: Routledge.
• Jones et al (2004) Intelligence and Achievement of Children Referred following sexual abuse. Pediatric and Child Health. Vol. 40
• Quas, J., Goodman G.S., Jones D. (2003) Predictors of attributions of self blame and internalizing behavior problems in Sexually Abused Children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 44(5)

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