Key points

Child sexual abuse can have short and medium-term negative effects on the health and wellbeing of the child or adolescent, including urinary and genital symptoms, reduced self-esteem, suicidal ideation, and lower levels of educational attainment.
The experience of child sexual abuse can exert long-lasting effects on brain development, psychological and social functioning, self-esteem, mental health, personality, sleep, health risk behaviours such as substance use or self-harm, and life expectancy.
Inappropriate responses to disclosure and management of trauma (including denial by others and institutions) can potentially re-traumatise people who have been abused.
People who have been abused may struggle to find practitioners who have the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to work in an effective and respectful manner. There are currently not enough services that can provide effective care.
Historically, child sexual abuse has been studied through the lens of the individual, whether that of the individual who has been abused or the individual who has perpetrated abuse. The cultural, religious and situational contexts that facilitate abuse have not yet been adequately researched or addressed.

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