Clinical Practice Guidelines for Child Sexual Abuse
Date
2019
Authors
Journal Title
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Publisher
Indian journal of psychiatry
Abstract
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is the involvement of children and adolescents in sexual activities (usually for adult sexual stimulation or gratification) that they cannot fully comprehend and to which they cannot consent as a fully equal, self-determining participant, because of their early stage of development [Box 1]. It is important to understand the nature and type of CSA as the severity of the impact of the abuse depends on not only on the type of abuse but also on the duration of the abuse and very importantly, whether the abuser is a known/trusted person or a stranger [Table 1]. Thus, CSA is a complex issue, wherein impact and recovery depend on all of the above variables and how they combine to influence the child's experience of abuse. Even where there are two children, who have been impacted by identical forms and processes of abuse (similar variables), they may still be different in terms of their responses. This difference is accounted for personality and temperament of each child, and social context and circumstances of each child, due to which each child perceives and internalizes the abuse differently, thus resulting in different emotional and behavioral states to the abuse, and necessitating different psychosocial and mental health responses.
CSA is not a clinical condition or diagnosis. Clinical practice guidelines for standard child psychiatric conditions can be developed based on existing knowledge and practices. However, to develop clinical practice guidelines for an experience that is both nuanced and complicated by psychological and social processes is a particular challenge. Clinical practice guidelines for CSA, therefore, necessitate mental health professionals to work with many processes and systems to effectively assist the child.
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Article
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Keywords
child sexual abuse, treatment, International Resources, India, research, mental health services
Citation
Seshadri, S., & Ramaswamy, S. (2019). Clinical practice guidelines for child sexual abuse. Indian journal of psychiatry, 61(Suppl 2), 317.