Sexual Abuse in Asia and the Pacific

The sexual abuse of children and youth is a global problem which is of growing concern around the world. Sexual abuse and violence, which occurs within the family, school, work or public places is increasing and is just beginning to receive public attention in the region. Sexual abuse can be defined as contacts or interactions between a child and an adult, or with an older or more knowledgeable child (stranger, sibling, or person in positions of authority, such as parent or caretaker), when the child is being used as an object for the other person's sexual needs. These contacts or interactions are carried out against the child using force, trickery, bribes, threats or pressure.

All children are vulnerable to sexual abuse, and there appears to be no regional or ethnic bias in the distribution of this sexual offence against young people. However, the highest incidence has been noted to occur among children 11 to 15-years old. During those years, children experience rapid physical growth but have limited skills to protect themselves and to seek help. Most of the reported cases of sexual abuse of children and youth occur among girls, however childcare professionals report that an increasing numbers of boys are also sexually abused.

The rape of a child by a stranger is the rarest form of sexual abuse. Young people are most at risk from those living with them, related to them or acquainted with them, such as parents, step-parents, uncles and aunts, older siblings, neighbours and caretakers.

There is no accurate data on the number of cases of sexual abuse perpetrated each year or the proportion of young people already affected by abuse in specific countries. This is largely because abuse is a sensitive issue and one that is not easily solved owing to a traditional reluctance to intervene directly with other people's family life. In many cases, young victims and their families, out of shame or fear of banishment, do not disclose the crime. In cases where sexual abuse is exposed, it is often not recorded as an agreement is made between the victim's parents and the offender, often with the involvement of officials.

Many authorities on the subject report that the pressure on victims of sexual abuse to remain silent or to retract their stories is heavy, and threats of violence are not uncommon. Organizations that offer services to these children may have records of new cases that are reported to them, but the data is largely documented in an unsystematic manner and reflect specific groups of victims.

The police, for example, often only retain statistics on victims who could not settle their case with the abuser. The figures recorded by hospitals reflect the numbers of victims who suffer from severe physical or emotional problems and require treatment, while social welfare officers may only have statistics on young victims who need social welfare assistance. Thus, the actual number of sexual abuse cases is well in excess of the documented total.

The direct effects of sexual abuse of children and youth include injury resulting from the abuse, STDs, vaginal discharge, painful genitalia and pregnancy, while some children also suffer from severe psychiatric problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, withdrawal, and affective, personality and organic mental disorders.

Female victims of abuse run the risk of becoming pregnant. Pregnancy itself holds many risks for adolescents. If a girl decides to go through with an unwanted pregnancy and have the baby, there are physical risks associated with childbearing and giving birth at such a young age. Others may resort to unsafe abortions which may result in infections, infertility and other long-term health complications.

Drug addiction is also a genuine risk as children sometimes use substances to help them endure the situation they find themselves in. Long-term drug abuse can lead to a serious deterioration of a young person's health.

Among the causes of abuse are gender and age discrimination which continues to perceive women and children as second grade citizens, as sex objects and as properties belonging to men; family problems which are related to economic, social, and cultural aspects of family relationships; family disintegration due to extreme stress and other ills; and excessive drug and alcohol use which leads to maltreatment of children.

Conquering sexual abuse of children and youth is a difficult task. The secret nature of abuse and a traditional reluctance of regional authorities to intervene in "family matters" continue to hamper efforts to bring this tragedy into the open. However, progress is being made in pushing for tougher regional policies which bring perpetrators to justice and in providing much needed assistance to young victims of abuse.

© 1997-2001 United Nations ESCAP.