Summary
Contents
Subject index
This book critically reviews research into child sexual abuse (CSA), and provides a concise and clear guide to current knowledge. The topics covered include: the prevalence of CSA; who molests children; the effects of such abuse, both immediate and long term; the risk factors for abuse; and the influences and interventions that may amplify or ameliorate the impact of CSA on the victim. Areas of debate, such as the false memory syndrome, are approached in terms of the research data relevant to their resolution.
The Prevalence of Sexual Abuse During Childhood
The Prevalence of Sexual Abuse During Childhood
The proportion of the child population who are exposed to sexual abuse is a source of ongoing debate and controversy (Bagley, 1990; Feldman et al., 1991; Finkelhor, 1994; Kinsey et al., 1953; Peters, Wyatt, & Finkelhor, 1986). Although statistics have been available for many years on the number of CSA cases that are known to welfare agencies and are reported to the police, such information does not accurately describe the prevalence of CSA within the community, owing to the fact that the majority of CSA cases fail to reach official attention (Finkelhor, 1994). Officially recorded cases of CSA in the United States showed a tenfold increase from 1976 to 1983 (Finkelhor, 1984), ...
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