Management of Sexual Abuse

Can you deal with sexual abuse without getting help from the authorities? When parents try to stop sexual abuse themselves, it almost never works. The hard but healthy way to deal with this problem is:

• Face the issue.
• Take charge of the situation.
• Confront the problem to avoid further abuse.
• Discuss the problem with your doctor who can provide support and counseling.
• Report abuse to your local child protection service agency. Ask about crisis support help.
• Talking about sexual abuse can be very hard for a child. Often the abuser has been a trusted adult who has threatened the child not to tell. It can be just as hard for adults to talk about it if the abuser is someone close to them. Still, in the best interest of the child, the abuse must be reported and the child needs to get help.

Adapted from Bright Futures in Practice, Mental Health; American Academy of Pediatrics. April, 1995. Child Sexual Abuse: What It Is and How to Prevent It: Guidelines for Parents. Elk Grove Village, Illinois: American Academy of Pediatrics.