Mechanisms of harm in sexual abuse of children Violence and usurpation

The criminal intervention in child sexual development is carried out in aprotean event of increasing exploration of ones own body, also reciprocally with other children and ultimately the development of shame. This process is part of the identity development of children, to which their bodily sexual self-concept also belongs. Against this background, the multitude of sexual activities also of smaller children is presented in order to discuss the question of whether the quality and intensity of the various acts of sexual abuse (manifest violence versus apparently violence-free usurpation) lead to different mental and social sequelae. Thoughts are presented on how this harm could have arisen. Excluded are the particularly complex problems of ideological excessive assaults in religious or pedagogic faith communities. The article is intended as an incentive to discussion.