Understanding and Responding to Child Abuse

Understanding and responding: for professionals working

with children who have experienced sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse Acknowledgments

Published by Office for Children, Victorian Government Department of Human Services

Melbourne, Victoria

May 2009

© Copyright State of Victoria, Department of Human Services, 2006

This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in

accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

This document may also be downloaded from the Department of Human Services

website at: http://www.office-for-children.vic.gov.au/family-violence-sexual-assault/

library/publications

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Big Print, 45 Buckhurst Street, Sth Melbourne 3205.

Child sexual abuse i

Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................................1

What is child sexual abuse .............................................................................................2

Towards an estimate of child sexual abuse .....................................................................4

Indicators of child sexual abuse .....................................................................................5

Physical indicators ....................................................................................................5

Behavioural indicators ...............................................................................................6

Facts and myths about child sexual abuse .....................................................................8

Effects of child sexual abuse ........................................................................................10

Principles for intervention ............................................................................................11

Helping children who have experienced sexual abuse...