What Is Sexual Abuse?

Defining Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as sexual attention under 16, wanted or not:

  • Sexual touch to genitals and any part you regard as personal and private.
  • Planned exposure to seeing sexual acts either live or in pornographic material
  • Being asked to do or experience sexually touch on private parts when you were under 16.
  • Being asked or made to do or receive oral sex on or from a man or woman when you were under 16
  • Being asked or made to do/experience anal sex on or from a man or woman when you were under 16.
  • Being asked or made to do/experience genital sex on or from a man or woman when you were under 16
  • Being asked or made to do sex with objects on or from a man or woman when you were under 16
  • Have you ever been forced or tricked into sexual activity at any age?
  • Have you ever at any age been raped or sexually assaulted. What age?

Disclosure of sexual abuse

Barriers to Disclosure

  • Male victims of sexual violence typically take 25 years or more to disclose.
  • They may avoid the perceived disruption to their life if they try to deal with it.
  • Their disclosure may be reduced by the effect disclosure has, or might have, on others.
  • They may be told that they are lying
  • They may be told to go away and deal with it.
  • They may experience a lack of services

What improves disclosure?

Reduce the shame

  • Casual enquiry by clinician
  • Assurance of the normality/commonness
  • Possible self disclosure by friend/professional
  • Information that can be acted on
  • Hearing success stories
  • Being asked directly by trusted person/friend

Reduce the fear

  • Reading/gathering data online
  • Hearing personal testimony. Hear the benefits.
  • Reassurance by another of support and availability