A Review of Child Sexual Abuse: Impact, Risk, and Resilience in the Context of Culture

ABSTRACT

Child sexual abuse is a problem with both a national and worldwide prevalence. In this review, the authors note that while empirical research has clearly shown the negative impact of child sexual abuse on social, psychological, and sexual functioning later in life, it has also been reported that some individuals remain asymptomatic despite a history of experiencing child sexual abuse. This implies that negative outcomes later in life are not inevitable and illustrates the critical need to elucidate how resilience may moderate the negative impacts of child sexual abuse. In addition to emphasising the role of resilience, this review also underscores the important role that cultural context plays in understanding child sexual abuse, as there are known risk factors and protective factors specific to different cultures. Similarly, one’s culture may also influence whether abuse is reported and addressed, and the topic is given special attention in this paper because it is not widely discussed within the existing literature. The impact of child sexual abuse on mental health, sexual health, and social functioning is also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Child sexual abuse
• resilience
• cultural factors
• risk factors
• sexual health
• social functioning
• mental health

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jerusha Sanjeevi

Jerusha Sanjeevi was a doctoral student at Utah State University in the combined clinical/counseling psychology program and previously earned a M.A. in clinical psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Jerusha passed away in March of 2017. She had a life-long interest in improving lives of children globally.

Daniel Houlihan

Daniel Houlihan, Ph.D. is the Director of the Center for Excellence in Scholarship and Research and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Kelly A. Bergstrom

Kelly A. Bergstrom is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Missouri—St. Louis and previously earned an M.A. in clinical psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Moses M. Langley

Moses M. Langley, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Biological and Cognitive Psychology and contributor to the Interdisciplinary Cognitive Science Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Jaxson Judkins

Jaxson Judkins is the editorial consultant for the Center for Excellence in Scholarship and Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato.