Child Sexual Assault Resources

skip to main content

Home page|Research|Crisis Information|Hotlines

Home page|Research|Topics|Journal articles|Encyclopedias and Dictionaries|Crisis Information|Hotlines|Rape crisis centers|How to help rape victims|Effects of rape|Therapy|Path to healing|Male survivors|Victim blame|Other topics|Do you need help now? Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

 

 

Child Sexual Assault

 

Based on a review of state records pertaining to child abuse and neglect, 86,830 children in the United States experienced sexual abuse in 2001 (DHHS 2003). Get free missing child alerts for your computer or website here.

Return to menu


Are you in crisis right now?
You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN, 24 hours a day at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or you can search for your local rape crisis center.

Basic hotlines:

National Child Abuse Hotline
To learn the reporting agency for your geographic area and situation.
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

Rape and Incest 1.800.656.HOPE (4673)

Child Abuse 1-888-PREVENT (1-888-773-8368)

Childhelp IOF/National Child Abuse Hotline: 1 (800) 4ACHILD (voice) 1 (800) 2ACHILD (TDD)

CyberTipline 1-800-843-5678

National Runaway Switchboard 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-621-786-2929)

Victims of Crime Help Line 1-800-FYI-CALL (1-800-394-2255)

Child Pornography Tipline 1-800-843-5678

Covenant House (800) 999-9999

Child Find of America (800) 426-5678

Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

Reporting sexual exploitation of children

CyberTipline

Symptoms of abuse in adult survivors

"Commonly reported psychological difficulties include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, self-esteem problems, somatic complaints, aggression, and a variety of interpersonal and relationship difficulties" (Aspelmeier, et. al., 2007)

"Sexual identity confusion, difficulties with sexual functioning... and problems with substance abuse...self-injury, suicidal ideation and attempts, depression, and rage" (Denov, 2004)

 

The Effects of Abuse on

Adult CSA Survivors

Image retrieved from (Denov, 2004)

  • "Attachment theory (e.g., Bowlby, 1969) was initially developed as a model that explains normative parent-child bonding as the result of an evolutionarily adaptive set of organized care-giving and care-seeking strategies (conceptualized as behavioral systems) that are activated in times of distress or threat. Subsequent research has focused on differences in the degree and manner in which individuals establish optimal levels of proximity and feelings of security within close childhood and adult relationships" (Aspelmeier, et. al., 2007)
    • "Secure individuals (low anxiety, low avoidance) are able to rely on their attachment figures as a source of safety, comfort, and support."
    • "Dismissing individuals (low anxiety, high avoidance) deny the importance of relationships and employ strategies that minimize expressions of negative affect, inhibit overt proximity-seeking behavior, and reduce their awareness and acknowledgement of threatening information."
      • Low levels of depression and anxiety and high levels of substance abuse to reduce negative affect.
    • "Preoccupied individuals (high anxiety, low avoidance) experience great anxiety about the availability of attachment figures and adopt a strategy marked by hypervigilance toward threat, increased proximity-seeking and clinging behavior, and greater expression of emotional distress."
      • At risk to experience high levels of depression and anxiety because of their tendency to focus on negative emotions, at times using alcohol to reduce their anxiety.
    • "Fearful attachment (high anxiety, high avoidance) is thought to reflect the most extreme form of anxiety and may indicate a failure to fully adopt an organized strategy that effectively establishes proximity to the caregiver" (Aspelmeier, et. al., 2007)

    Bibliography

    Aspelmeier, J.; Elliott, A.; Smith, C. (2007). Childhood sexual abuse, attachment, and trauma symptoms in college females: The moderating role of attachment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 31(5), pp. 549-566.

    Denov, M. (2004). The Long-Term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse by Female Perpetrators: A Qualitative Study of Male and Female Victims. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 19(10), pp. 1137-1156. link


    Nkongho, N. (2006). Religious coping among sexually abused adolescent girls: A phenomenological investigation. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 67(5-B), 2pp. 2841.


    Links on the effects of CSA

    Body memories

 

 

Resources on Child Sexual Assault (CSA)

Return to menu

 

Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

http://www.ascasupport.org/

"ASCA supports and assists survivors of child abuse to move-on with our lives, gently encouraging us to transform our self-identities from victims, to survivors, to thrivers. In addition, ASCA was created with the intention of guaranteeing all survivors of childhood abuse, irrespective of their financial situation, with access to a superior program focused on recovery from childhood abuse. "

 

Child Abuse Prevention Network

http://child-abuse.com/

Provides links to partner organizations, information about awareness activities, and links to several abuse related listservs.

 

If Your Child is Missing

http://www.missingkids.com/

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) - The Nation's Resource Center for Child Protection 1-800-THE-LOST

"Act immediately if you believe that your child is missing.
• If your child is missing from home, search the house checking closets, piles of laundry, in and under beds, inside old refrigerators—wherever a child may crawl or hide.
• If you still cannot find your child, immediately call your local law-enforcement agency.
• If your child disappears in a store, notify the store manager or security office. Then immediately call your local law-enforcement agency. Many stores have a Code Adam plan of action—if a child is missing in the store, employees immediately mobilize to look for the missing child.
• When you call law enforcement, provide your child's name, date of birth, height, weight, and any other unique identifiers such as eyeglasses and braces. Tell them when you noticed that your child was missing and what clothing he or she was wearing.
• Request that your child's name and identifying information be immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File.
• After you have reported your child missing to law enforcement, call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children on our toll-free telephone number, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). If your computer is equipped with a microphone and speakers you may talk to one of our Hotline operators via the Internet "

 

Stop It Now!

http://www.stopitnow.com/

 

Directory of family help in the US and Canada

http://www.focusas.com/Directory.html

 

Amber alerts

http://www.codeamber.org/

Missing child alerts

Code Amber now provides both Web Site Tickers and Desktop Tickers for the US and Canada. Please select from the following to get your ticker(s). You may download any or all of the tickers we have available.

Child Welfare

http://www.childwelfare.com/

Offers access to an electronic library of child welfare material including adoption, protective services, and foster care as well as the electronic journal, Children and Youth Services Review. Also available are links to reports, literature, and other organizations.


Children and Violence

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/violencemenu.cfm

This National Institute of Mental Health site makes available reports that address the issue of helping children and adolescents deal with violence, disasters, and depression.

Connect for Kids--The Early Years: Safety and Injuries

http://www.connectforkids.org/content1554/content_list.htm?attrib_id=326

Connect for Kids (formerly Kids Campaigns) provides a listing of many organizations and on-line resources concerned with children's safety and environmental health issues.

Also see the legal section for statute of limitations.

 

 

Resources to research this subject:

Journals and articles

Search the NCJRS Abstracts Database

Google scholar or Findarticles

Finding books at the library

Online Libraries on sexual assault

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Search terms: rape crisis

Related links: Victim blame

References:

Macdonalds, J. (2004). World Book Encyclopedia. United States of America: World Book Inc.

rape. (2006). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 2, 2006, from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9376486

Smith, M. D. (2004). Encyclopedia of Rape. USA: Greenwood Press.

Sedney, M., "rape (crime)." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Scholastic Library Publishing, 2006 <http://gme.grolier.com> (February 1, 2006).

 

 

Please select a topic from the menu

Books

Websites

Cite this resource

Clear your computer history

Last updated 2/2/08 About.Contact

Find Journal Articles on this subject

Created by MEM

Home|Finding books at the library|Encyclopedias and Dictionaries|Biographies|Books on healing|Statistics|Websites |Films|Journals and articles|Bibliographies|Online Libraries|Victim blame|Theories|Privacy|Grants|Crisis hotlines|Crisis Information |Rape crisis sites|Rape crisis centers|Help rape victims|Message boards|Suicide hotlines|Louisiana|N.C. rape crisis| Victim Assistance|Effects of rape|Health|Therapy|Medical|Lesbian sexual assault|Feminist|Petitions|War and rape|Partners|Male survivors|Created by|More Information|Blog|Community thank you rainn

 

 


Search this site

hosted by ibiblio

The author is not responsible for any contents linked or referred to from his or her pages - unless s/he has full knowledge of illegal contents and would be able to prevent the visitors of his site from viewing those pages. If any damage occurs by the use of information presented there, only the author of the respective pages might be liable, not the one who has linked to these pages. Furthermore the author is not liable for any postings or messages published by users of discussion boards, guestbooks or mailinglists provided on his or her page. The author is not a psychiatrist or physician / medical doctor or legal attorney of any sort. This website is not intended to replace medical, psychiatric or legal care. Please seek professional attention as needed.The Information provided is not intended to replace obtaining medical evaluations and health care advice from qualified health care providers. This site's owners are providing Information for reference only, and do not intend said Information to be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions, or for any other purposes.The owner/author of this site MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF SAID INFORMATION, OR THE FITNESS OF THE INFORMATION TO BE USED FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, LOSS, EXPENSE, OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND TO USER, OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY, RELATED TO THE USE OF SAID INFORMATION. Persons accessing any Information of the rape crisis information web site, directly or indirectly, assume full responsibility for the use of the Information and understand and agree that the author of rape crisis information is not responsible or liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising from the use of said Information.

Rape Crisis Information Pathfinder, UNC Chapel Hill, N.C., http://www.ibiblio.org/rcip/