Child abuse
Mehrimah Bahramzadeh, social worker
Sexual development are divided into 3 parts:
Infancy age: sexual response starts early and it is different based on gender. (Calderon research in 1983 indicates ultrasonic imaging shows the male fetus erection a few months before birth.)
Many male infants experience erection during first months of birth even before the umbilical cord falls; it is often observed while they are asleep or breastfeeding, whether they are stimulated with the penis or not. The warmth and the softness of their mothers’ bodies associated with sucking are pleasant feelings cause sexual arousal.
Female infants also have sexual response means vaginal discharge and colitoral erection in the first 24 hours after birth. Infants try to find out about their bodies and sometimes touch their genital organs.
Primitive childhood: including preschool children who are curious especially about their bodies. Both girls and boys enjoy urination and dejecta. In this age they pay attention to their difference in organs. They take a stealthily look at each other bodies and one of their games is “playing a role as a doctor” to analyze the body. This curiosity is common which shows the growth process but the parents should have more control if children are very curious about their organs. We have to protect the little children against adults; they should be taught to report any sexual request including undressing or touching the genital organs and do not let it happen.
Middle of childhood: children Conceal their sexual activities because the society less likely cope with their sexual passion. 6 or 7 years old children are more interested in gender, the facts of genital growth, engender and sex. However there is a question: who are able to teach about sexual issues?
The parents have the most important and main role in sexual training. They should explain concerning ejaculation at night and menstruation. In the past it seemed the parents intentionally kept their children in ignorance but today they learn via media and books and etc. It is necessary the parents have more full-fledged perspective and the children become responsible while keeping sexual responsiveness.
The goal of sexual training
The sexual training helps children understand the process of physical growth and become ready for physical changes relevant to puberty. They can cope with their gender and gender roles in society.
Sexual abuse: are committed by the family members and close friends. Strangers should spend a lot of time in order to the child trust him; he tempts the child by toys or takes him to the park; they misuse these opportunities to commit a crime. As soon as the child feels confidence, abuser tries to titillate or touch him or her and request to undress or enforce them to do so and in the end threat them to be silent.
After the story is uncovered they ask him why you did not say anything. There are complicated reasons such as threats of abuser that the child hide everything at first.
Consequences: how does sexual abuse effect on children?
The victims feel misery, anger, depression, shame and anxiety; they know themselves guilty and have a low self-confidence. In more chronic cases they suffer from psychological disorders and attempt for suicide. Other effects are asleep disorder, less appetite, pathological fears and physical disorders including gastrointestinal problems. Female victims suffer from misandry, sexual promiscuity, distrust to men, less self-concept, lack of self-esteem, bewilderment in recognition of intimacy and gender and losing family support.
Conclusion: in general , the children are able to respond to sexual arousal since infancy; preschool and elementary children try to discover about their bodies and experience masturbation. They are attracted by sexual issues; as a result the parents should teach them. It should be mentioned that sexual harassment committed by family members and close friends starts based on children trust. Sexual harassment has destructive effects due to its nature, scope and the age of children. In this condition the goal of sexual training is more comprehensible.
