The long-term psychological effects of child sexual abuse

Work on the long-term mental health sequels of child sexual abuse in Britain and Canada, in relation to family context, is reviewed. It is argued that the Canadian data show that sexual abuse in childhood is quite prevalent for both males and females, and is particularly prevalent in dysfunctional families. Such abuse often has a negative impact on self-esteem, and increases depression, suicidal feelings and behavior, and poor mental health. Further cross-cultural work in this field is proposed.