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Sexual violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.
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Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent abuses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of CSA include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities (regardless of the outcome), indecent exposure of the genitals to a child, displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual contact against a child, physical contact with the child's genitals, viewing of the child's genitalia without physical contact, or using a child to produce child pornography.
The effects of child sexual abuse include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, propensity to re-victimization in adulthood, and physical injury to the child, among other problems. Sexual abuse by a family member is a form of incest, and can result in more serious and long-term psychological trauma, especially in the case of parental incest.
Approximately 15% to 25% of women and 5% to 15% of men were sexually abused when they were children. Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims; approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often brothers, fathers, uncles or cousins; around 60% are other acquaintances such as friends of the family, babysitters, or neighbors; strangers are the offenders in approximately 10% of child sexual abuse cases. Most child sexual abuse is committed by men; studies show that women commit 14% to 40% of offenses reported against boys and 6% of offenses reported against girls. Most offenders who abuse pre-pubescent children are pedophiles, however a small percentage do not meet the diagnostic criteria for pedophilia. Under the law, "child sexual abuse" is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. The American Psychiatric Association states that "children cannot consent to sexual activity with adults", and condemns any such action by an adult: "An adult who engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a criminal and immoral act which never can be considered normal or socially acceptable behavior."
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Angela Rose is an American activist, musician, and documentary film producer, best known for her work as the Founder and Executive Director of the national nonprofit PAVE: Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment.
Rose made headlines when she was kidnapped from a shopping mall when she was seventeen years old. The man who abducted her was on parole for murder when he committed the crime. From this tragic story emerged one of the nation’s most passionate and impactful advocates for the prevention of sexual violence. Since her ordeal, Angela has lobbied for laws for victims and has promoted the importance of education on issues of sexual violence as well as the need to engage men in the movement. In regard to television interviews, Rose has appeared the Montel Williams Show, John Walsh Show, and newscasts across the country. Rose presents workshops and gives speeches at conferences, military trainings, and on college campuses.
Rose founded PAVE: Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment in 2001. PAVE uses education and action to shatter the silence of sexual violence. PAVE's work has been illustrated on CNN and The Today Show. PAVE has created educational programming and tools as well as grassroots action campaigns. Rose produced a documentary called Transition to Survivor in which sexual assault survivors tell their powerful and emotional stories, from reporting the crimes to dealing with the aftermath of the violence. By watching the film and discussing it afterwards, students learn why many people choose not to report their attacks. They learn why sexual violence is too often a “silent crime.” In the film, one woman talks about how blocking her memories, becoming anorexic and turning to self-mutilation to ease the emotional pain. Another breaks into tears on camera and confesses serious thoughts of suicide. Eventually all the survivors got help through counseling, friends, and family support. In terms of activism, PAVE's Survivor Justice Campaign has been instrumental in bringing awareness to egregious acts of misconduct towards victims of sexual assault throughout the criminal justice process.
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