Sexual and Sexualized Behavior in Children : Beyond pedophilia

Adult perpetrators

Most people think of pedophiles when they hear the term ‘child sexual abuse’. A pedophile is someone whose primary sexual attraction is to a pre-pubescent child is indeed a threat. Pedophiles carefully plan a strategy to develop a relationship with a victim and potentially the adults in their life, (the so-called ‘“grooming” process) and gradually move from a ”friendship” to a sexualized relationship. Hebephiles follow a similar pattern, targeting pubescent children and ephebophiles target teens.

Hebephiles and ephebophiles may seek jobs or volunteer opportunities that place them in contact with children in the age preference. Schools can be vulnerable. Estimates of youth experiencing educator sexual misconduct range from 4.1 percent of students reporting contact offenses to 50.3 percent of students reporting any sexual misconduct by an educator (Shakeshaft 2004). When parents overhear children talking about someone having a crush on a teacher, coach or any adult in their life, they should take seriously the possibility that the crush can move into sexual abuse.

It is crucial to help parents/caregivers understand that risks exist beyond pedophiles. Parents can be supported to choose programs for their children run by people aware of these risks and have policies and procedures in place to address them.

Peer-to-peer abuse

While studies of reported cases of sexual abuse point to adults being the most common offender, retrospective studies of adults who recall sexual abuse from their past indicate that the most common abusers are other minors (Gwerwitz-Meyden et al 2020). Peer-to-peer abuse is generally unplanned behavior in response to curiosity or sexual arousal, coupled with opportunity, the developmentally normal lack of empathy and undeveloped executive decision-making skills.

With older adolescents who may also be experimenting with drugs and alcohol, conditions that impair judgement are magnified. Further, as an adolescent’s body responds to stimulation by initiating the response cycle, judgement may be come impaired as intense autonomic physical responses take over.

The same early lessons that we teach children about masturbation – that their genital arousal is private, and no one’s concern but their own – should be reiterated as children age. Conversations about boundaries and consent are crucial.