Abuse and Neglect of Children III: Sexual Abuse

Abstract

The recent unsolved murder of a young girl in Colorado raises many issues central to our understanding of the sexual abuse of children. These issues range from the horror felt by a nation, as details of a heinous crime emerge, to uncertainty about precocious and provocative behavior of children encouraged in this behavior by parents and by society. This is the third, and last, article in a series about the abuse and neglect of children. The first two articles discuss the context of abuse and recognition of abuse. This article focuses on important aspects about the sexual abuse of children and adolescents.