Child sexual abuse is a crime, it happens when an adult or someone bigger than the child involves a child in sexual activity by using his or her power over a child and taking advantage of that child's trust. Child sexual abuse includes a wide range of activities beginning from fondling and sometimes leading to sexual intercourse. Unfortunately it is well documented that a number of adolescents and adults that we see in the mental health system have been victims of child sex abuse. Many children experience some form of sexual abuse and in the majority of cases the offender is someone known to the child. Child sexual abuse occurs in all kinds of families boys or girls of all ages maybe sexually abused. Children need to be protected from the sexual abuser, they need to know the principles of personal safety and how to protect themselves from abuse. The reason I have mentioned sexual abuse is that the case I am about to present is a young girl who was sexually abused as a child and has suffered the consequences from this. Whilst I am presenting my case history and you find yourself getting bored and drifting off and thinking what you would like to do for lunch I would like you the think of some basic safety principles which may help children recognise sexual abuse and we can discuss these at the end of the session.
CASE PRESENTATION.
Kate had a baby girl called Jen at eighteen years old. She was referred to Torrens House as she had difficulty caring for the baby and she needed to learn settling techniques and how to care for a newborn. Torrens House is a unit that specialises in helping mothers with parenting techniques. I first came across Kate when she was referred from Torrens House with her three month old daughter. It was thought by the staff at Torrens House that she maybe suffering from Post Natal Depression. On presentation to HMH she was overweight and unkempt and had what us adults might call an attitude.