MA DCF Child Sexual Abuse
What is the Official Definition of “Child Sexual Abuse” in Massachusetts?
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF) defines “child sexual abuse” as any sexual contact or sexual offense done on purpose by a caretaker to a child.
MA DCF’s official definition of “sexual abuse” is: “Any non-accidental act by a caregiver upon a child that constitutes a sexual offense under the laws of the Commonwealth or any sexual contact between a caregiver and a child for whom the caregiver is responsible.”
The “child sexual abuse” also includes making a child a victim of sexual exploitation or sex trafficking.
Who are “Sexually Exploited Children”?
A “sexually exploited child” would be any child, under 18 years of age, who was a victim of any of the following:
- Child prostitution
- Human sex trafficking
- Sexual servitude
What are the Physical Signs of Child Sexual Abuse?
When children are sexually abused, there might be some physical signs . The physical signs of child sexual abuse include:
- Difficulty walking and sitting
- Painful urination
- Swelling or itching in the genital area
- Genital or anus injuries (such as bruises, bleeding, lacerations, scar tissue)
- Throat injuries (including bruises, bleeding, lacerations, scar tissue)
- Torn, stained, or bloody undergarments
- STDs
- Pregnancy
- Wetting the bed
On the other hand, some children may not show any physical signs of sexual abuse. In fact, physical injuries from sexual abuse situations are actually rare in children. Over 90% of child sexual abuse victims showed no physical signs.
What are the Behavioral Signs of Child Sexual Abuse?
The more common signs of sexual abuse of a child are changes in the child’s behavior. These changes include:
- Sexually seductive behavior
- Sexualized play
- Age inappropriate sexual knowledge
- Frequent discussions on sexual topics
- Sudden and excessive masturbation
- Uncontrollable public masturbation
- Sudden emergence of promiscuity
- Sudden appearance of nightmares
- Going back to old habits (such as sucking their thumb)
- Sudden beginnings of phobias
- Afraid of being home alone
- Abnormal clinging behavior
- Weight changes
- Anxiety
What are the Hidden Signs of Child Sexual Abuse?
Sometimes, the signs that a child is being sexually abused are not obvious at all. There are specific warning signs to look out for and they typically go unnoticed, like the following:
- When the child seems more interested in interacting with one sex over the other (typically the sex of the abuser)
- It looks like the child dislikes or is afraid of a specific person
- Expensive gifts
- The child is eager to please a specific person
- Sexualized behaviors (such as grabbing other people’s breasts)
- Abnormal bathroom or shower habits
- Stress or anxiety when left alone with a specific person
How Does Sexual Abuse Affect Children?
Since every child is different, every child experiences the effects of sexual abuse differently. These consequences include serious emotional and psychological effects such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Sexual dysfunction
- Substance abuse
- Panic attacks
- Hesitation towards intimacy
- Shame
- Worthlessness
- Guilt
- Difficulty forming trusting relationships
- Personality disorders
- Difficulty focusing in school
- Falling grades
Who Sexually Abuses Children?
Most children are sexually abused by adults who they know very well. This person is usually someone the MA DCF considers a caretaker for a child. Studies show that sexual abusers are usually males who have their victim’s trust. Also, step parents are more likely to be child sexual abusers than a biological parent.
How do Child Sexual Abusers Act Towards Children?
There are patterns in the behaviors of child sexual abusers. Most of them spend a lot of time with the child and their family. They do this because they want to earn the child’s and the family’s trust. The abuser may try to normalize sexual behaviors and convince the child that what they are doing is acceptable or harmless. For example, child sexual abusers will sometimes expose the child to pornography.
Child sexual abusers also “groom” their victims. Grooming is when an abuser slowly pressures a child into sexual activity over time. For example, getting very physically close to the child often, or giving the child gifts to make them feel “special” would be grooming actions. The purpose of grooming is to get the child to keep the abuse a secret.
One fourth of children reported that their abusers gave them “emotional rewards” for keeping the abuse a secret. For instance, the abuser might promise the child that the people they love and care about will be safe if they don’t tell anyone about the abuse.
Child sexual abusers often threaten their victims to make sure the abuse stays a secret.
Threats
One third of children who have been sexually abused reported that their abuser threatened them.
An example of a threat is telling the child that telling anyone about the abuse will lead to unhappy consequences for them. They can tell their child victims that they will hurt their siblings, parents, or pets if they say anything about the abuse. They may also threaten children by saying if they tell anyone about the abuse, it will break up the whole family. Threats can mean taking away the child’s privileges as well.
What are Sexually Suspicious Behaviors in Adults?
When an adult is actually a child sexual abuser, they may show it through their attitudes and actions. Sexually suspicious behaviors are warning signs that the adult is sexually abusing a child, such as:
- Lack of concern about the sexual abuse allegations
- Dismissing the child’s reaction to the alleged sexual abuse
- Domestic violence
- Abusing drugs and/or alcohol
- Controlling behaviors
When an older biological sibling or a biological parent is sexually abusing a child in the family, there are signs in the family’s behavior. For instance, the family would be secretive and prefer to be isolated. Also, its members are very dependent on each other.
What is the Punishment for the Rape of a Child?
The punishment for the rape of a child is jail for life or for a very long time. This punishment depends on the seriousness of the rape. The following situations are rape of a child:
- An adult forcing a child to do sexually things with them against the child’s will
- Natural sexual intercourse between an adult and a child who is under the age of 16
- When an adult has unnatural sexual intercourse with a child who is under the age of 16
Kevin Seaver is a trusted Massachusetts DCF lawyer specialized in DCF law since 1991.
