Childhood Sexual Abuse

It is indeed an important matter. But I'm not sure that we're helped very much by this sort of writing from the Lancet. Here's what the Guardian says:

Some 5-10% of girls and 1-5% of boys have been subjected to penetrative sex, usually by a family friend or relative. If sexual abuse is defined more widely - as anything from being shown pornographic magazines to rape - it is estimated that it will include at least 15% of girls and 5% of boys.

10% of girls are raped by paedophiles? Surely not. Here's the actual Lancet paper.

During childhood, between 5% and 10% of girls and up to 5% of boys are exposed to penetrative sexual abuse, and up to three times this number are exposed to any type of sexual abuse.

No, I'm not going to spend the money to get a full copy of the paper but I did phone up to ask what the definition of "during childhood" is.

"Up to eighteen".

Sp now we want to know what is the definition of "penetrative sexual abuse"....which would be penetrative sex while a child with someone who is not a child.

Hmm.

At what age did you lose your virginity?

Under 12 1%
12-13 8%
14-15 23%
16-18 40%
19-20 13%
21-24 10%
25-30 2%
Never had sex 3%
 

Now the thing is that I know that what we would all agree is child sex abuse does go on. Rare is the week that we don't hear of one or another horror of paedophilia.

But these sorts of claims don't help matters at all. A 19 year old bedding a 17 year old is not sexual abuse and to claim that it is devalues the whole concept.