CHILD SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Child sexual abuse; It is the use of a child by another person for the purpose of sexual stimulation, regardless of their preferences or reactions. As there may be verbal abuse; Many behaviors, such as kissing, caressing, rubbing, or open sexual contact, fall under sexual harassment.
HARASSMENT AND HARASSED PROFILE
It’s a sad fact, but ninety percent of abusers are a family friend, a friend of the same age or a few years older, caregiver, neighbor, father, older brother, cousin, uncle, They are people from the child’s close circle, such as uncle etc., that he knows, and mostly men. The widespread use of the Internet in recent years has increased the risk of strangers coming into contact with children, and it is a fact that while the risk for children has increased, it has provided an environment where harassers can hide themselves more easily.
Research to understand the personality profiles of harassers; It shows that child molesters can be extremely kind and caring, even protective and jealous towards children, use alcohol and etc. frequently, encourage exposure in children, act seductively to children and encourage them to sexual behavior, and share sexual arguments with children without limits. Most harassers also have a history of sexual abuse in their own history.
Individuals who are prone to abuse have problems in forming their sexual identity and sexual roles are not fully settled in the family environment they live in. Sometimes husband and wife roles are problematic. The role of woman is insufficient in the home environment, Sometimes one of the children learns to play the adult role at an early age. Sexual deviations are more common in closed cultures where communication is poor and people live in isolation, and they are more hidden because families live in isolation.
Children; The lack of sexual experience and knowledge, the need for attention and love, the difficulty of witnessing and proving in young children, and the tendency to hide the event can also encourage harassers.
Apart from all these, the worst approach for our society is that abuses against children are kept secret (at a high rate that we don’t know), and I think this is one of the most important obstacles in not decreasing the abuse. In order not to stigmatize the child, not to stigmatize the family, because it is not known to whom and how to apply, because some abuses are taken lightly within the family, because the child cannot speak up, sometimes hundreds, maybe thousands, of them remain hidden in the society due to the pressure of tradition. In most cases, domestic abuse is not one-time, but continuous.
EFFECTS OF HARASSMENT
The more the harm done to the body, the closer the abuser is to the child, the more the abuse is repeated, the greater the harm to the child. Backwards; The support provided by the family to the child is very important. In our own clinical practice; We see that children and young people who are frequently exposed to sexual harassment reflect the helplessness they feel at the time of trauma (harassment) as anger and hatred to their environment.
Many problems can arise in children during and after abuse.
– Physical damage such as bruises, bruises, injuries, etc. due to strain on the body, especially in the genital area
– Sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy risk in the future
– Excessive sexual interest and even sexual acts that are not expected for her age , inappropriately pretending to be older than their age, avoiding certain environments, people or situations, inappropriate affect, sleep problems, sudden personality changes, relationship problems with peers, self-harming behaviors, more clinging to parents due to insecurity, pre-acquired toilet training Regressive behaviors such as regression of abilities, silence, inappropriate aggression, many behavioral problems, especially sexual problems, and many psychiatric disorders in the long run can be triggered.
PROTECTIVE MEASURES
Before harassment occurs; In order to protect the child, there are measures to be taken for treatment during and after abuse.
A) Before Harassment:
– Every child should get enough information about sexual and physical development appropriate for his age from his parents and learn to take care of his body.
– Every child; familiar or not, they must learn to distinguish between another’s irritating approaches, the difference between a good touch or a bad touch.
– It must be taught how to react when faced with a disturbing sexual argument.
– Take care to provide your child with a safe environment away from the risk of sexual abuse, feel safe enough to speak freely when he or she has an uncomfortable experience
– Be alert about the internet environment that has become widespread in recent years. If they spend a lot of time on the computer and have suspicious communications with strangers to your family, watch closely.
– Not just a computer; be aware of other media that can be a learning resource for the child, such as the circle of friends, etc.
– But be sure to pay attention to one point. Instead of directly preventing the child’s social life; Take the necessary precautions in a soft manner and without being too threatening, in cooperation with and informing the child as much as possible.
– In the child; Unusual behavioral changes can be observed, especially in sexual matters and social life, be alert to them.
B) At the Time of Harassment
– If your own child or a relative mentions sexual abuse; First of all, try to be calm and cool. It is not right to take it too lightly or to panic. To take it lightly is to leave the child unaided. The exaggerated approach also scares the child more. Your current approach may further distort the child’s perception of trauma and complicate his future life. A calm approach makes it easier to get through.
– Announce that what happened is not his fault, that you are there for him, that you will do your best to avoid problems or to get through problems easily.
– Immediately seek appropriate locations for a medical and forensic examination.
– Every child; With appropriate support in a timely manner, the effects of harassment can be avoided. Psychiatric support should be sought in all sexual harassment.
SOCIAL MEASURES
Everyone should know that enjoying the sexual arousal of children, namely pedophilia, is unhealthy not only for the individual but for the whole society and should disturb us all. All citizens, families, legal bodies and educators have a duty to prevent abuses against children and to minimize the harm they suffer.
Parents and school environments should be supportive of children’s healthy sexual and physical development. Excessive sexual permissiveness that is inappropriate for his age is not right, and it is also not right for him to be ignorant, closed and away from his peers for his age. Every child and young person; At the appropriate time and in a language appropriate for their age, boys and girls should be informed about their bodies and the course of sexual development.
Child protection laws must be effective. It is a known fact that many sexual harassments remain hidden within the family and are not reflected to the judicial authorities or health professionals or are easily covered. Therefore, the right of those who have been harassed to make their voices heard and complain should be guaranteed, and it should be ensured that they are not harmed in the long term due to this incident.
In a globalizing world; not just parents and schools; Mass media are also very effective in child education. If we are truly sincere about protecting our children; Practices that may mean sexual abuse of the child should be avoided. Every day, on screens, TV series and sit-coms, child actors, who have grown and shrunk, play a role in adult jargon and the love affairs of the adult world, and their audiences are often children. Child beauty is used as a seductive argument in many commercial advertisements. Beauty contests and related industries constantly appear 14-15 year old lolita models. We hear news about child sex tourism in the Far East. News that sometimes orphaned children are forced into prostitution by dozens of people in our country can be reflected in the newspapers. Investigating some harassment can be a barrier to honor. We still have legal loopholes in crimes committed online. In summary, it is the responsibility of all adults to protect the child from sexual abuse.
I don’t know how accurate it is to say that internet porn is widespread in our country, based on the news in recent months or simple criteria. Considering the crowded population of big cities, the widespread use of the information sector and the ease of access to such resources, it may be possible to talk about a relative increase. Let’s not be too sensitive about this, because internet porn exists in all countries of the world. Most of the industry, where it is made and produced, is far from our country. Therefore, the measures to be taken should also be in the international plan.
But I must mention a risk that applies to our children and that I see frequently in our clinic. There is all kinds of information about the world and life on the internet. Our children, thanks to their simple technical skills, are able to enter worlds far beyond their own horizons and therefore witness (knowingly or unknowingly) sexual material at a very early age and even share it with others. For example; a suddenly opened porn picture, pornographic movies circulated with messages, inappropriate correspondence between elders, etc. This means “early sexual stimulation” and “missocialization” in terms of child development, and it is a serious risk for our children’s character development.
