Some Considerations About Sexual Abuse and Children with Sexual Behavior Problems

Abstract

SUMMARY In the mid 1980s treatment programs for children twelve years and younger who molested other children began to appear. There was little known about these children and there were numerous misconceptions about this population. It was believed that the primary etiological factor in the development of this behavior was previous hands-on sexual abuse to the child. It was also believed that a majority of sexually abused children would engage in problematic sexual behaviors and that it was quite likely that they would go on to molest others. In the intervening years a great deal has been learned about children who molest. The diversity of reasons for the development of problematic sexual behavior has been researched. Another important finding is that there is a range of disturbed sexual behaviors in children. This is important as there has been an overidentification of children who engage in problematic sexual behaviors as children who are molesting. A continuum of sexual behaviors in children is described which delineates three groups of children who engage in problematic sexual behavior, only one of which is molesting other children. With this understanding professionals can distinguish between children who engage in natural and healthy sexual behaviors, sexually-reactive behaviors, extensive but mutual sexual behaviors, and children who molest. This assists in more accurate assessment and treatment planning in an era in which children can be placed on sex offender registries and potentially be subject to community notification.