The following literature review broaches the subject of the sexual abuse of children by categorizing sexual victimization into the general areas of intrafamilial and extrafamilial sexual abuse. Generalizations are drawn from existing data regarding both victims and perpetrators. Sex and age related findings are discussed relative to victims while the analysis of incidence data paints a picture of the perpetrators of sexual abuse of children.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BrantR. S. T., & TiszaV. B. (1977). The sexually misused child.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,48, 80–90.
2.
BrowningD. H., & BoatmanB. (1977). Incest: Children at risk.American Journal of Psychiatry,134, 69–72.
3.
BurgessA. W., GrothA. N., & McCauslandM. (1981). Child sex initiation rings.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,51, 110–119.
4.
ChandlerS. M. (1982). Knowns and unknowns in sexual abuse of children.Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality,1, 51–68.
5.
ConteJ. R. (1982). Sexual abuse of children: Enduring issues for social work.Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality,1, 1–19.
6.
DeFrancisV. (1969). Protecting the child victims of sex crimes committed by adults.Denver: Children's Division, American Humane Association.
7.
DeJongA. R., EmmettG. A., & HervadaA. A. (1982a). Epidemiologic factors in sexual abuse of boys.American Journal of Diseases in Children,136, 990–993.
8.
DeJongA. R., EmmettG. A., & HervadaA. A. (1982b). Sexual abuse of children: Sex-, race-, and age-dependent variations.American Journal of Diseases in Children,136, 129–134.
9.
Denson-GerberJ. (1980). Child prostitution and child pornography: Medical, legal, and societal aspects of the commercial exploitation of children. In JonesB. M., JenstromL. L., & MacFarlaneK. (Eds.), Sexual abuse of children: Selected readings (pp. 77–82). Washington, DC: National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect.
10.
DixonK. N., ArnoldL. E., & CalestroK. (1978). Father-son incest: Underreported psychiatric problem.American Journal of Psychiatry,135, 835–838.
11.
EllersteinN. S., & CanavanW. (1980). Sexual abuse of boys.American Journal of Diseases in Children,134, 255–257.
FinkelhorD. (1980). Risk factors in the sexual victimization of children.Child Abuse and Neglect,4, 265–273.
14.
FinkelhorD. (1982a). Sexual abuse: A sociological perspective.Child Abuse and Neglect,6, 95–102.
15.
FinkelhorD. (1982b). Sexual abuse of boys: Available data. In GrothN. (Ed), Victimization of males: Offenses, offenders, and victims.New York: Plenum.
16.
FinkelhorD. (1984). How widespread is child sexual abuse? (Manuscript VS-31). Durham: University of New Hampshire, Family Violence Research Program.
17.
FinkelhorD., & RussellD. (1983). How much child sexual abuse is committed by women? (Manuscript VS-28). Durham: University of New Hampshire, Family Violence Research Program.
18.
FritzG. S., StollK., & WagnerN. N. (1981). A comparison of males and females who were sexually molested as children.Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy,7, 54–59.
19.
GentryC. E. (1978). Incestuous abuse of children. The need for an objective view.Child Welfare,57, 355–364.
20.
GiarrettoH. (1976). The treatment of father-daughter incest: A psychological approach.Children Today,5(4), 2–5, 34-35.
21.
GoodwinJ., CormierL., & OwnJ. (1983). Grandfather-granddaughter incest: A trigenerational view.Child Abuse and Neglect,7, 163–170.
22.
GreenbergN. H. (1979). The epidemiology of childhood sexual abuse.Pediatric Annals,8(5), 16–28.
23.
GrothA. N., & BrinbaumH. J. (1978). Adult sexual orientation and attraction to underage persons.Archives of Sexual Behavior,7, 175–181.
24.
GrothA. N., & BurgessA. W. (1977). Motivational intent in the sexual assault of children.Criminal Justice and Behavior,4, 253–264.
25.
HusainA., & AhmadA. (1982). Sexual abuse of children: Diagnosis and treatment.Missouri Medicine,79, 331–334.
26.
JaffeA. C., DynnesonL., & ten BenselR. W. (1975). Sexual abuse of children: An epidemiologic study.American Journal of Diseases in Children,129, 689–692.
27.
JasonJ., WilliamsS. L., BurtonA., & RochatR. (1982). Epidemiological differences between sexual and physical child abuse.Journal of the American Medical Association,247, 3344–3348.
28.
JonesJ. G. (1982). Sexual abuse of children: Current concepts.American Journal of Diseases in Children,136, 142–146.
29.
KaplanS. J., & PelcovitzD. (1982). Child abuse and neglect and sexual abuse.Psychiatric Clinics of North America,5, 321–332.
30.
KempeC. H. (1978). Sexual abuse, another hidden pediatric problem: The 1977 C. Anderson Aldrich Lecture.Pediatrics,62, 382–389.
31.
KercherG. (1980). Responding to child sexual abuse. A report to the 67th Session of the Texas Legislature.Huntsville, TX: San Houston State University.
32.
KhanM., & SextonM. (1983). Sexual abuse of young children.Clinical Pediatrics,22, 369–372.
33.
KinseyA. (1953). Sexual behavior in the human female.Philadelphia: Saunders.
34.
LanningK. V., & BurgessA. W. (1984). Child pornography and sex rings.FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,53(1), 10–16.
35.
MacFarlaneK. (1978). Sexual abuse of children. In ChapmanJ., and GatesM. (Eds.), The victimization of women (pp. 81–109). Hollywood, CA: Sage Publications.
36.
NakashimaI. I., & ZakusG. E. (1977). Incest: Review and clinical experience.Pediatrics,60, 696–701.
37.
NakashimaI. I., & ZakusG. E. (1979). Incestuous families.Pediatric Annals,8, 300–308.
38.
NasjletiM. (1980). Suffering in silence: The male incest victim.Child Welfare,59, 269–275.
39.
National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. (1981). Study findings: National study of incidence and severity of child abuse and neglect. (DHHS Publication No. 81-30325). Washington, DC: U.S. Printing Office.
40.
NielsonT. (1983). Sexual abuse of boys: Current perspectives.The Personnel and Guidance Journal,62, 139–142.
41.
OrrD. P., & PriettoS. V. (1979). Emergency management of sexually abused children: The role of the pediatric resident.American Journal of Diseases in Children,133(6), 628–631.
42.
PantonJ. H. (1979). MMPI profile configurations associated with incestuous and nonincestuous child molesters.Psychological Reports,45, 335–338.
43.
PerlmutterL. H., EngelT., & SagerC. J. (1982). The incest taboo: Loosened sexual boundaries in remarried families.Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy,8, 83–96.
44.
QuinseyV. L., ChaplinT. C., & CarriganW. F. (1979). Sexual preferences among incestuous and nonincestuous child molesters.Behavior Therapy,10, 562–565.
45.
RimszaM. E., & NiggemannE. H. (1982). Medical evaluation of sexually abused children: A review of 311 cases.Pediatrics,69, 8–14.
46.
RistK. (1970). Incest: Theoretical and clinical views.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,49, 680–691.
47.
RussellD. G. (1983). The incidence and prevalence of intrafamilial and extrafamilial sexual abuse of female children.Child Abuse and Neglect,7, 133–146.
48.
SarafinoE. P. (1979). An estimate of nationwide incidence of sexual offenses against children.Child Welfare,58, 127–134.
49.
ScherzerL. N., & LalaP. (1980). Sexual offenses committed against children.Clinical Pediatrics,19, 679–685.
50.
SchultzL. G. (1982). Child sexual abuse in historical perspective.Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality,1, 21–36.
51.
SgroiS. M. (1975). Sexual molestation of children.Children Today,4(3), 18–21, 44.
52.
SgroiS. M. (1979). The sexual assault of children: Dynamics of the problem and issues in program development. In Sexual abuse of children: Implications from the sexual trauma treatment program of Connecticut.New York: Community Council of Greater New York.
53.
SgroiS. M. (1982). Family treatment of child sexual abuse.Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality,1, 109–128.
54.
ShahC. P., HollowayC. P., & ValkilD. V. (1982). Sexual abuse of children.Annals of Emergency Medicine,11, 41–46.
SummitR., & KrysoJ. (1978). Sexual abuse of children: A clinical spectrum.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry,48, 237–251.
57.
TilelliJ. A., TurekD., & JaffeA. C. (1980). Sexual abuse of children: Clinical findings and implications for management.New England Journal of Medicine,302, 319–323.
58.
WeeksR. B. (1976). The sexually exploited child.Southern Medical Journal,69, 848–850.
59.
WeitzelW. D., PowellP. J., & PenickE. C. (1978). Clinical management of father-daughter incest.American Journal of Diseases in Children,132, 127–130.