Dr Alverston Bailey, Contributor
Are we experiencing an epidemic of child sexual abuse in Jamaica? Almost daily we are bombarded with bizarre tales of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and teenagers being brutally abused by psychopaths in our society.
This week, we will try to unravel the mystery of paedophilia and sensitise you about the symptoms and signs of sexual abuse in our children and steps we need to put in place to protect them.
Sexual grooming defines the social conduct of a potential child sex offender who seeks to make a minor more accepting of their advances, for example, in an online chat room.
When a prepubescent child is sexually abused by one or more children or adolescent youths, and no adult is directly involved, it is defined as child-on-child sexual abuse.
When sexual abuse is perpetrated by one sibling upon another, it is a form of incest known as intersibling abuse.
When sexual abuse is perpetrated by a relative, either by blood or marriage, it is a form of incest described as intrafamilial child sexual abuse.
Identifying Abused Children
Children are not psychologically prepared to deal with persistent or intensive sexual stimulation. Even very young children, two or three years old, may perceive thatsexual activity is wrong, but feel impotent to stop it. Sexual abuse causes both psychological and physical harm.
Prevalence
Worldwide, approximately 20-25 per cent of women and five to 15 per cent of men were sexually abused when they were children. Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims; approximately 30 per cent are relatives of the child, most often fathers, uncles or cousins; around 60 per cent are other acquaintances, such as friends of the family, babysitters or neighbours; strangers are the offenders in approximately 10 per of child sexual abuse cases.
Most child sexual abuse is committed by men; women commit approximately 14 per cent of offences reported against boys and six per cent of offences reported against girls.
In Jamaica in 2004, 409 cases of carnal abuse, 465 cases of rape and 32 cases of incest were reported in children under 16
In 2005, 337 cases of carnal abuse, 380 cases of rape and 14 cases of incest were reported. On June 12, 2008, the first annual report of the Office of the Childrens Advocate showed that 1,185 cases of rape and carnal abuse were reported in 2006. As at September 2008, the Childrens Registry has repor-ted 541 cases of carnal abuse.
Reporting Sexual Abuse
The Child Care and Protection Act makes it mandatory for all persons who suspect child abuse to make a report to the Childrens Registry.
Prevention
Child molesters are a menace to the society and upon conviction should be put away for life.
I also believe that convicted child molesters should be registered and agencies and institutions that work with children be required to check the background of each potential employee.
Helpful Tips
Teach your child to differentiate between good touches, bad touches and confusing touches. When your child tells you that he or she does not want to be with someone, this should be a red flag. Ask some probing questions. Listen to children and believe what they tell you.
If your childs behaviour changes suddenly, try to find out why. Teach your child the correct names of his/her body parts. Any talk or sexual behaviour which suggests premature sexual understanding should be explored. Be wary of anyone who shows greater-than-normal interest in your child. If a child presents with an unusual vaginal discharge or genital bruising, dont panic: it might be caused by an innocuous infective agent or self-induced trauma, but if you strongly suspect abuse, take the child to see a doctor. Choose your childs babysitter carefully and use your intuition. If you sense something is wrong, investigate it.Our children are our most prized possessions. Let us protect them.
Dr Alverston Bailey is a medical doctor and immediate past president of the Medical Association of Jamaica. Send comments and questions to editor@gleanerjm.com or fax 922-6223.
Sources: Vachss, Andrew, How We Can Fight Child Abuse, Parade Magazine, August 20, 1989.
Bogorad, Barabara E., Sexual Abuse: Surviving the Pain
Holmes, Ronald M.; Holmes, Stephen T. (2002-03-12). Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc
Types of sexual abuse
Child sex abuse includes:
Fondling (touching) a childs genitalia
Intercourse
Rape
Sexual penetration with an object
Sodomy (anal sex)
Exhibitionism (showing sexual organs to a person or having sex in the view of others)
Sexual exploitation (use of children in sex videos and pictures and selling children for sexual acts)
Exposing a minor to pornography or to the sexual acts of others
Prostituting a child and creating or trafficking in child pornography
What is paedophilia?
The term paedophilia describes persistent feelings of attraction in an adult or older adolescent towards prepubescent children, whether the attraction is acted upon or not. A person with this attraction is called a paedophile
In 2002, Ronald and Stephen Holmes described the psychological profiles of five types of paedophiles, namely:
The regressive usually have relationships with adults, but a stressor causes them to seek children as a substitute.
The morally indiscriminate are sexual deviants who may commit other sexual offences unrelated to children.
The naive are often mentally challenged and find children less threatening.
The mysoped are sadistic and violent and target strangers more often than acquaintances.
The fixated have little or no sexual activity with their own age and are described as overgrown children.
Signs of physical trauma
Difficulty in walking or sitting
Torn, stained or bloody clothing
Pain or itching in the genital area
Bruises or bleeding in the genital area or mouth
Pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections
Repeated urinary tract infections
In severe cases, damage to internal organs may occur, which, in some cases, may cause death as possibly happened to the nine-month-old infant, who died at the Bustamante Hospital for Children two weeks ago.
Treatment
Children who are sexually abused need intensive psychological and medical support and should be referred to a child psychologist for family therapy, group therapy or individual therapy. Those who are injured or are suffering from a sexually transmitted infection or other infections should be referred to a physician for prompt treatment.
Signs of psychological trauma
Behavioural disorders (biting, rocking, etc.)
Difficulty relating to others except in sexual or seductive ways
Extreme fear of being touched
Depression
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Poor self-esteem
Inappropriate interest or knowledge of sexual acts, including masturbation
Forcing sexual acts on other children
Refusal to go to school, or to the doctor, or home
Learning disability
Fear of going to bed with nightmares and bed-wetting
Loss of appetite
Secretiveness or unusual aggressiveness
Obsession with appearance, excessive grooming
Withdrawal from and mistrust of adults
Substance abuse
Frequent accidents or self-injurious behaviours
