Child Sexual Abuse: The Betrayal that Emerges from Ones Own Home

Abstract

Child sexual abuse (CSA) - A serious, deeply disturbing widespread problem, which is heavily under-discussed and unreported about. Especially the ones where one grows up, where one learns to live - within their own homes, where trust is often betrayed by one, they are taught and supposed to trust. A crime which leaves the minor victims soul to suffer in silence. In this research paper, we will understand Child Sexual Abuse (CSA), its definition, addressing the heartbreaking truth of how the perpetrators are trusted and known people. Understanding this wide spread issues, consequences that the victim has to bear lifelong. The psychological impact of abuse - it\'s consequences that are long-term - both physically and emotionally, the toll that it brings on the victims mental health and the physiological changes that come with the trauma. We further explore the concept of grooming and it\'s six stages, understanding the strategic actions taken step by step by the perpetrator and see how these manipulative actions play with the victims mind and life . Proceeding to breaking down of what consent means focusing on what a child understands from that word. We will also be talking about ‘freeze response’ by the victims - A very often misunderstood and misinterpreted action, causing the victims to often feel the need to either over explain or shut down completely. Understanding a issue like CSA and trying to recognize and look for it around us or worse even go though it are two different things and experiences, so we also focused on the factor where we also shed light on recognizing the warning signs of potential child sexual abuse while also understanding how we individuals can try helping the victims who have been through such gruesome experience with care and gentle responses. We have also provided a simplified analysis of significant sections from the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) which will help one with understanding of the act better and be better informed and lastly our paper also includes real life examples with three cases studies for better comprehension of how law (POCSO Act) can help and guide you with better depth while understanding this issue.

Introduction

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) involves an older person engaging in sexual acts or behaviors with a minor, including assault, harassment, molestation, rape, grooming, and exposure to inappropriate content. The World Health Organization defines CSA as any sexual activity a child cannot fully understand, consent to, or that violates laws and social norms.

CSA is widespread globally and in India, despite laws like POCSO (2012) aimed at protecting children. Most abuse occurs not by strangers but by trusted individuals—family members, relatives, teachers, or guardians—making it a hidden, heavily stigmatized crime rarely reported.

Trauma from CSA can lead to severe mental health issues like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and behavioral problems. Children often struggle to disclose abuse due to fear, shame, and societal taboos. Parents frequently lack the knowledge to discuss ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’ with children, adding to the silence.

Societal awareness is low, with many unable to clearly define or understand terms like sexual assault and harassment. UNICEF estimates 1 in 10 children experience sexual abuse, but many cases remain unreported. CSA can cause brain changes, affect decision-making, and lead to unhealthy sexual behaviors or avoidance of intimacy.

Long-term psychological impacts include emotional disorders, identity issues, distrust, difficulty forming relationships, and cognitive distortions like self-blame. Survivors may struggle with self-esteem, concentration, and social withdrawal.

Cultural factors in India add to the crisis. Family honor often overrides the child’s welfare, leading to victim-blaming, especially for girls, whose future prospects are tied to perceived chastity. Boys face stigma due to societal notions of masculinity, causing underreporting and emotional suppression.

Guilt, shame, and blame heavily burden victims, often silencing them. Grooming—manipulative trust-building by perpetrators—is a critical step in abuse, targeting vulnerable children with less supervision.

Overall, CSA is a pervasive, traumatic issue complicated by social stigma, lack of awareness, and cultural taboos, requiring open dialogue, education, and supportive systems for prevention and healing.

Conclusion

Desmond Tutu stated, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” The silence, suppression and hesitation contributes to this violence and crime. Despite legislative measures like the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the prevalence of CSA remains large due to societal stigma, cultural taboos, and a lack of open dialogue. Ultimately, CSA is not just a personal issue for the victim. It is a societal problem that needs collective action. Addressing CSA requires both legal and cultural shifts, as well as a commitment to ensuring that children are taught about boundaries and consent from an early age. Statesman Edmund Burke said \"all that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for good men and women do nothing.\" To break the cycle of abuse, it is crucial to increase awareness, foster open conversations, and build a support system for survivors. One of the crucial steps for this change is education and it must begin at home. A child\'s home is the first learning ground. Parents must provide a safe space for a child to feel heard and validated. From a young age, they must be taught body autonomy, consent, boundaries, understanding what is good and bad touch, importance of the word \'no\'. Schools should include the curriculum about sex education and good/ bad touch. Only through a combined effort can we hope to create a safer environment where children can grow, learn, and thrive free from the effects of sexual abuse. Parents should look out for signs which could potentially point out that the child is being abused somewhere. Emma Watson during her speech on gender equality at the United Nations Headquarters on September 20, 2014, to launch the HeForShe campaign stated, “Ask yourself: If not me, who? If not now, when?”

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Naomi Dweltz, Lepakshi Habib. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.