WHAT IS CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE?

Child sexual abuse is any sexual contact with a child. It can take many forms — including both touching and non-touching behaviors.

Touching behaviors include:

• Touching a child's genitals (penis, testicles, vulva, breasts or anus) for sexual pleasure or other unnecessary reason;
• Making a child touch someone else's genitals;
• Putting objects or body parts (like fingers, tongue or a penis) inside the vulva or vagina, in the mouth, or in the anus of a child for sexual pleasure or other unnecessary reason.

Non-touching behaviors include:

• Exposing a child to, or using him or her for, pornography or prostitution;
• Encouraging a child to perform sexual acts;
• Exposing a person's genitals to a child;
• Performing sexual acts in a child's presence;
• Photographing a child in sexual poses;
• Watching a child undress or use the bathroom, often without the child's knowledge;
• Using computers and the Internet to make sexual overtures or expose a child to sexual behavior.

A child sexual abuser may spend months "grooming" a victim with nonsexual hugging and touching — behavior that appears to be perfectly normal and acceptable. When the behavior becomes increasingly sexual, the child is confused, frightened and powerless to make it stop.