Child sexual abuseChildren have unconditional trust in their parents from the moment they are born. This confidence is generalized to many adults; however, some seemingly trustworthy adults can be the most dangerous by taking advantage of a child's innocence. Cruise (2004) states that most children know their abuser and feel comfortable in their presence. Breaking such genuine trust causes lifelong harmful consequences. Child sexual abuse has many definitions, but Collin-Vézina, Daigneault, and Hébert (2013) define it “as any sexual activity perpetrated against a child by means of threat, force, intimidation, or manipulation” (p. 7). Despite the form of sexual abuse, children are not physically or emotionally prepared to see, hear or experience this type of act. Although adults view childhood sexual abuse as a clear boundary violation, children may not completely believe that the perpetrator is to blame. Children may have a multitude of beliefs, such as that they deserve the abuse, that the abuse is their fault, and that the abuse is a way for the abuser to show love. Unfortunately, many children do not talk about the abuse, so parents and guardians need to be aware of the warning signs that sexual abuse may be occurring. Signs of Sexual Abuse Children display characteristic behaviors when they are victims of sexual abuse. Parents and guardians can intervene promptly if the behaviors are recognized and the offender is stopped. Symptoms vary based on the age of the child with one set of similar symptoms occurring in younger children (10 years and under), another set in older children (over 10 years), and some behaviors observed in both groups. Younger Children When younger children engage in sexual abuse, they tend to e......middle of paper......but, therefore parents, guardians and professionals must proceed with caution. In addition to nonsexual symptoms and sexual symptoms, Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014) argues that children should be trusted when they accuse someone of sexual abuse, because they typically tell the truth. Works CitedCollin-Vézina, D., Daigneault, I., & Hébert, M. (2013). Lessons learned from child sexual abuse research: Prevalence, outcomes, and preventative strategies. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 7, 1-9. doi:10.1186/1753-2000-7-22 Information portal on child welfare. (2014). Child sexual abuse. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/sexabuse/index.cfmCruise, T., K. (2004). Sexual abuse of children and adolescents. Retrieved from the National Association of School Psychologists website: http://www.nasponline.org/educators/sexualabuse.pdf