About the Series

On Child Sexual Abuse is an original web article series created by the Joshua Center to provide readers with an overview of some major topics in the field of child sexual abuse (CSA) research. These articles are intended for anyone that is looking to learn more about CSA. Articles can be read consecutively, or by area of interest.

Though it is underreported and under-recorded, child sexual abuse is a widespread global issue experienced by up to 31% of girls and 17.6% of boys.12 CSA comprises a significant share of sexual violence overall, as adolescents ages 12-17 bear one-third of all sexual assaults.3 While no experience of abuse is the same, and healing is possible, CSA is an Adverse Childhood Experience that can potentially have lasting impacts on survivors’ physical health and emotional well-being, as well as shape important aspects of development including identity, affect regulation, coping behaviors, beliefs about oneself or the world, or the capacity to engage in mutual, healthy, and positive relationships. 

Increasing individuals’ abilities to recognize, understand, and respond to child sexual abuse in a way that is supportive to survivors is essential to child sexual abuse prevention. On Child Sexual Abuse provides research-based answers to critical questions on these topics, demystifying “what places youth at risk?”, “what dynamics are present in child sexual abuse?”, “how and when do youth disclose abuse?”, and more.

• 1. Barth, J., Bermetz, L., Heim, E., Trelle, S., & Tonia, T. (2013) The current prevalence of child sexual abuse worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Public Health, 58(3), 469-483.
• 2. Stoltenborgh, M., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Alink, L. R., & Ijendoorn, M. H. (2015). The prevalence of child maltreatment across the globe: A review of a series of Meta-analyses. Child Abuse Review 24(1), 37-50.
• 3. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2000). Sexual assault of young people as reported to law enforcement: Victim, incident, and offender characteristics. U.S. Department of Justice: Snyder, H.N. Retrieved from: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/saycrle.pdf