CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE - DEFINITION, PREVALENCE AND CONSEQUENCES

This review focuses on two aspects of research on sexual child abuse during the last ten years, namely prevalence and long-term effects. Differing results for prevalence (6 - 62% for female subjects) have been found depending on the concept of sexual child abuse (incest vs. extrafamilial child sexual abuse, child sexual abuse with or without physical contact, child sexual abuse with or without violence and sexual actions between adults and children) and depending on the method, and features of the subject. Long-term effects are complex (affective, somatic, eating and sleeping disorders, dissociations, disorders in interpersonal relationships, problems in sexuality and social functioning). The main syndrome seems to be a pattern of affective disorders.