Suffering in Silence: Preventing Child Sexual AbuseOne of the most hated acts in the world is child sexual abuse. It confuses them, harms them physically, and damages the psychological core of their being. Although most admit to being opposed to such horrific acts of savagery, they are unaware of how often these acts take place behind closed doors – in families, camps and elsewhere. The lack of education and resources on the issue is a problem. If educating others could prevent even one child from being sexually abused, it would be worth it. Sexual abuse is any sexual act (touching or not) imposed on another person. Child sexual abuse occurs when an adult and a minor engage in forced sexual activity. It can also be two minors if one imposes the acts on the other. The American Camp Association defines it as “any situation in which a child is used for sexual gratification.” This may include indecent exposure, fondling, rape, or commercial exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic material. (Child Abuse Prevention Resources) The ugly truth is that sexual abuse usually occurs within families (this may involve parents and/or siblings) or with people other than the family and the victim. know and trust. Any sane person would look at these acts and consider them horrible, but they still exist and must be stopped. Obviously, using children for sexual gratification is bad, but how bad is it? First of all, it is not just the initial incident that constitutes the crime. The psychological problems faced by child victims of sexual abuse are numerous. Children who are victims of sexual abuse are followed by the event (or multiple events) in their adult lives...... middle of paper ......children that sexual advances from adults are bad and against the law. (Preventing Child Sexual Abuse) The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656-HOPE. Other numbers to call are 1-800-CHILDREN (Prevent Child Abuse America) and 1-800-4-A-CHILD (Child Help USA). There are many sources on the Internet that explain the details and signs of sexual abuse in more detail and give important information about reporting and handling these crimes. Sexual abuse of a child is a horrific criminal act, and one that is far too horrific. common in the United States. The only way to avoid it is to inform and educate yourself on the subject and not remain silent, but speak up for a child who may not have the voice to do so. These children can't speak for themselves, and it's up to you to get them the help they need and possibly prevent these crimes from happening...