Sexual Abuse: It is never right

Sexual abuse is any form of non-consensual physical contact. It includes rape, molestation, or any sexual conduct with a person who lacks the mental capacity to exercise consent. Until the 1970s the occurrence of sexual abuse had been gravely underestimated.

Growing awareness of the problem led legislatures to enact reporting requirements, which mandate that any professional person (doctor, nurse, teacher, social worker) who knows or has reason to believe that a child is being abused report this information to the local welfare agency or law enforcement department. Statistics vary widely about the level of sexual abuse, but most researchers agree that it occurs at a higher rate than previously believed. Experts on the subject estimate that more than 130,000 children a year are sexually abused in the United States alone.

One of the worst for of sexual abuse is child abuse as they are scared for life. The erotic use of a child, whether physically or emotionally, is sexual exploitation in the fullest meaning of the term, even if no bodily contact is ever made. This last point - "no bodily contact" - is crucial. A parent who exposes a child to intercourse or deviant sexual behaviors or pornographic materials is abusing that child. New York State law now clarifies that such abuse is a crime.

The law defines a sexually abused child as one whose parent or person legally responsible for the child's care, commits, allows to be committed, permits or encourages a sex offense against the child, including prostitution, incest, obscene sexual performance or sexual conduct.

How to use your rights: you should try to contact the Focal Point or people in charge within that organization (e.g. the Peacekeeping Focal Point if your complaint is about a UN soldier, a UNICEF Focal Point if your complaint is about a UNICEF staff member). If you feel at all uncomfortable taking the complaint to the relevant organization's Focal Point, you may contact any of the Focal Points, who will ensure your complaint is dealt with in a timely and sensitive manner.

The person you report to will ask you for your consent, and then record your complaint and ask you to sign it. They will also be able to advise or assist you with any immediate safety, security, health and legal needs, by helping you (or the victim, if different) get in touch with the right services.
Your complaint will be kept as confidential as possible. Only those people involved in investigating your complaint, the person you are complaining about and the Headquarters of the organization where s/he works, will be informed about your complaint.
Your safety and security will always be taken into account when following up on a complaint.
Following your complaint, you will be contacted by the appropriate investigation team.
The Focal Point will also try to keep you informed of the progress and outcomes of the investigation, and to explain investigation process will work.

We will post shortly about child abuse specifically, but remember do not suffer in silence, there are people who can help you. Yes its true, you just need to reach out.