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Children are innocent and should be protected from harm in order to enjoy their childhood However, some children aren’t free from danger because they unknowingly live next door to an abuser, are related to a molester, or frequent a place where a child sexual abuser preys on children. When a neighbor, cousin, teacher, church volunteer, or a leader a child knows touches a child is a sexual way, most people aren’t sure of what damages could occur as a result of sexual touching.
Some adults think that sexual touching doesn’t qualify as sexual abuse and couldn’t harm a child for life. However, fondling and unwanted sexual touching is considered child abuse. Research shows that any type of child sexual abuse can and does affect a child into his or her adult life—for a lifetime.
Ways Sexual Touching Can Cause Children Harm
- Depression
- Suicidal tendencies
- Physical injuries
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Increase in illnesses and hospitalizations
- Trouble forming long-term relationships
From this list we can see that sexual touching of a child does, in fact, cause harm to a child. Not only does child sexual abuse cause physical harm, but it can cause emotional damages and can affect every single relationship in that child’s life—even into adulthood. Unfortunately, it can cause a child to never trust anyone and never want an intimate relationship. It can also lead to a life of promiscuity or abuse if a child victim doesn’t receive the necessary help.
Learn how to help prevent your child from being abused by reading our article “How Can Talking Protect Your Son or Daughter from Child Sexual Abuse in Sarasota?”