The issue of Child Sexual abuse is often called ‘difficult’, mainly because of underreporting and social taboo. This owes to the following factors: 90% of cases, perpetrator is known to and is in a position of trust or responsibility with the child i.e. takes advantage of the child’s trust, vulnerability and lack of informed consent.
Children in majority of cases do not disclose incidents of sexual abuse as they are
(i) faced with guilt and shame attached with the secrecy and ‘dirtiness’ of the incident.
(ii) not comfortable with parents on the topic of ‘sex’.
(iii) threatened or coerced by the perpetrator against it.
Parents do not handle disclosure appropriately as they
(i) Do not consult professional counselors thinking that they can make the child put the experience behind it with passage of time
(ii) Do not confront the perpetrator either for the fear of relationship breakdown in cases where relatives or close family friends are involved, or fear from social complexities related to status and/or gender, or fear of legal confrontation or sheer ignorance.
Patriarchal system of family in Indian culture has led to deep seated fear, and many kinds of social and cultural practices around the safety of their girls and their 'virginity'.
It also fails to recognize the vulnerability of boys to child sexual abuse which is equal to that of girls.
Patriarchal system – ‘Masculinity/maleness is a state to be achieved’, ‘Male sexual urge is out of a man’s hand and once aroused he has to do his thing’.
Elders esp. males of family, are to be respected invariably and unconditionally.
A large percentage of child sexual abuse perpetrators are themselves victims of sexual abuse as children i.e. victim becomes ‘perpetuator’.
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