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Sexual abuse involves forcing, tricking, threatening or pressuring a child or young person into sexual awareness or activity. Sexual abuse can be physical, verbal or emotional, and occurs when an older or more knowledgeable child or adult uses a child or young person for sexual pleasure. The abuse often begins gradually and increases over time. It can include sexual touching and fondling kissing, touching the young person's genitals or breasts, encouraging a child or young person to take part on sexual acts is also sexual abuse or exposing children or young people to adult sexual activity including, intercourse or oral sex pornographic movies and photographs.
Child sex abusers can come from any professional, racial or religious background, and can be male or female. They are not always adults - children and young people can also behave in a sexually abusive way. Usually the abuser is a family member or someone known to the child, such as a family friend.

Incest is defined as sexual relations of any kind perpetrated by a biologically or non-biologically related person functioning in the role of a family member. Other trusted adults could also sexually abuse children and teenagers. These include parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, step-parents, grandparents, coaches, baby sitters, clergy and teachers.

The use of physical force is rarely necessary to engage a child or young person in sexual activity because children are trusting and dependent. Children and young people are taught not to question authority and they believe that adults are always right. Perpetrators of child sexual abuse know this, and take advantage of these vulnerabilities in children. Sexual abuse is an abuse of power over a child and a violation of a child's right to normal, healthy, trusting relationships. Which Direction Counsellors are here to help you...Get in touch with us.

You may be a adult and a survivor of sexual abuse and can recognise the behavioural signs and symptoms mentioned below, you may be a adult suffering flashbacks and body memories or you may be a adult that recently experienced a form of violation. If so do not hesitate to contact Which Direction Counselling Service.

These might include a marked change in the child's general behaviour. For example, they may become unusually quiet and withdrawn, or unusually aggressive. Or they may start suffering from what may seem to be physical ailments, but which can't be explained medically.
• The child may refuse to attend school or start to have difficulty concentrating so that their schoolwork is affected.
• They may show unexpected fear or distrust of a particular adult or refuse to continue with their usual social activities.
• They may start using sexually explicit behaviour or language, particularly if the behaviour or language is not appropriate for their age.
• The child may describe receiving special attention from a particular adult, or refer to a new, "secret" friendship with an adult or young person.

Because most children cannot or do not tell about being sexually abused, it is up to concerned adults or friends to recognize signs of abuse. Physical evidence of abuse is rare. Therefore, we must look for behavioural signs.

The following are general behaviour changes that may occur in children and teens who have been sexually abused:

. Depression
. Eating Disorders
. Sleep disturbances
. School problems
. Withdrawal from family, friends, or usual activities
. Excessive bathing or poor hygiene
. Anxiety
. Running away
. Low self-esteem
. Self-destructive behaviour
. Hostility or aggression
. Drug or alcohol problems
. Sexual activity or pregnancy at an early age; promiscuity
. Suicide attempts

Children and teens who have been sexually abused frequently have more specific symptoms:

. Copying adult sexual behaviour
. Sexual play with other children, themselves, toys or pets
. Displaying sexual knowledge, through language or behaviour, beyond what is normal for their age
. Unexplained pain, swelling, bleeding or irritation of the mouth, genital or anal area
. Urinary infections
. Sexually transmitted diseases
. Hints, indirect comments or statements about the abuse

Incest and sexual abuse are at epidemic proportions. Statistics from RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National network, state 15 percent of sexual assault and rape cases occur in children under the age of 12, with 93 percent of juvenile sexual assault perpetuated by someone they know. Of those assaults, 34.2 percent of attackers were family members, 58.7 percent were acquaintances and only 7 percent were complete strangers.

If you are experiencing or have experienced any of the above and you are in a dilemia of which direction to take and want to talk to someone then contact the Counsellors or keyworkers of Which Direction counselling service to explore your issues and in helping you to make the right decision..