Putting together evidence on declining trends in sexual abuse: a complex puzzle.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
David Finkelhor
Publications and source records attributed to David Finkelhor.
Close online relationships in a national sample of adolescents.
This paper uses data from a national survey of adolescent Internet users (N = 1,501) to describe online relationships. Fourteen percent of the youths interviewed reported close online friendships during the past year, 7% reported face-to-face meetings with online friends, and 2% reported online romances. Two hundred forty-six youths provided details about one close online relationship. Most of these relationships were with same-age peers (70%) and crossed gender lines (71%). Many intersected with face-to-face social networks because they were initiated by introductions from friends or family (32%), involved people who lived in the vicinity (26%), were known to parents (74%), included offline contact by mail or telephone (70%), or involved face-to-face meetings (41%). Few youths reported bad experiences with online friends.
Adolescent↗
The traumatic impact of child sexual abuse: a conceptualization.
A framework is proposed for a more systematic understanding of the effects of child sexual abuse. Four traumagenic dynamics--traumatic sexualization, betrayal, stigmatization, and powerlessness--are identified as the core of the psychological injury inflicted by abuse. These dynamics can be used to make assessments of victimized children and to anticipate problems to which these children may be vulnerable subsequently. Implications for research are also considered.
Child↗
What's wrong with sex between adults and children? Ethics and the problem of sexual abuse.
The belief that sex with adults causes harm to children is often offered as the most compelling argument against such relationships, and is the basis for much current concern about sexual abuse. This paper argues for the importance of a stronger ethical position, less dependent on an empirical presumption that is not firmly established. It is suggested that basing the prohibition of adult-child sex on the premise that children are incapable of full and informed consent will provide a more solid and consistent approach to the problem.
Adult↗