How Often Are Child Abuse Perpetrators Strangers to the Child or Family?

Int J Environ Res Public Wellness. 2021 Sep; xviii(eighteen): 9593.

Victims and Perpetrators of Child Sexual Corruption: Abusive Contact and Penetration Experiences

Margarita Ortiz-Tallo

ⁱFaculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Espana; se.amu@zitrom (M.O.-T.); se.amu@nemalb (Yard.J.B.)

ⁱⁱCon.Ciencia Association, 29016 Málaga, Kingdom of spain

Cheng-Fang Yen, Bookish Editor

Received 2021 Aug 23; Accepted 2021 Sep x.

Abstruse

Child sexual abuse (CSA) includes calumniating contact experiences, which habitually affect the victim'southward whole life. This written report aims to clarify the characteristics of 6 CSA experiences with physical contact, including penetration, in a representative sample of the Spanish population. Participants were 1071 Spanish adults (53% males; M_{historic period}: 45.37) who completed the Child Sexual Abuse Experiences Questionnaire. The victim's historic period at the first episode, the perpetrator's characteristics, and the number of times that each experience occurred were analyzed, taking into business relationship gender differences. Results were reported for every experience independently. The almost prevalent age at the first experience was from 6 years old onwards, but with differences in some experiences. The abuses usually happened more than once, committed past the aforementioned person. The nearly prevalent perpetrator is a male, although a female perpetrator is more prevalent in male victims. Most of the abuses were committed by an adult acquaintance, a strange adult, and other minors, with some gender differences. The implications of the results concerning every CSA feel are discussed, highlighting their value for future enquiry and practice, the design of preventive programs, and early detection of CSA.

Keywords: child sexual abuse, contact abuse, penetration, victims, perpetrators

1. Introduction

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex phenomenon referring to the interest of a minor in acts that pursue the sexual gratification (concrete or mental) of some other person who is in a position of power or inequality, and in the absence of true consent, constituting an abusive and undesired feel [1]. CSA can include both not-contact and contact experiences [2]. In the research field, studies have considered diverse approaches to CSA, some of them analyzing CSA in a broad sense (including non-contact and contact abuse experiences), whereas others use a narrow definition (more than restricted, such every bit forced intercourse or contact abuse) [3]. Contact abuse experiences include sexual acts, such as those involving penetration or intentional touching (fondling, rubbing, or kissing) without penetration [3,4,5]. Information technology is widely known that these abuse experiences habitually impact the victims' life, provoking of import life-long concrete, emotional, and social consequences [5,6,7,viii].

Some meta-analyses examine CSA prevalence without differentiating between contact and non-contact experiences [9], whereas others differentiate 3 categories: non-contact, contact, and penetration experiences [10,11,12,13]. All meta-analyses found high variability in the prevalence rates and characteristics of CSA. Many factors may be influencing this heterogeneity. On the one hand, studies vary regarding the definitions of CSA (broad vs. narrow) and the experiences analyzed; on the other manus, methodological issues, such every bit different data collection procedures and sampling strategies, may yield different prevalence rates [12,14]. To gain more adequate CSA information, the analysis of every single calumniating experience independently and the employ of representative samples accept been proposed [3,fifteen].

Despite the variability, studies that clarify every calumniating contact feel separately found that the most prevalent feel is fondling, followed past being forced to touch the abuser, and the to the lowest degree prevalent one is sexual intercourse with penetration [15,xvi,17,eighteen,19]. Generally, it is establish that virtually of the victims had experienced more than than one kind of CSA [15,xix,20]. Furthermore, it is consistently plant that females report higher CSA prevalence than males [iii,11,13,18,21,22]. However, some authors consider that this lower prevalence found in males may be explained past the fact that their experiences are non well represented by the questions used in the studies, males' difficulties to identify their experiences as CSA—perchance due to shame and social stereotypes (due east.thou., being judged equally homosexual)—and as well due to the low number of male participants in the studies [23,24,25,26,27,28].

Regarding the context of the corruption, the victim's age and the relationship with the perpetrator accept been postulated as relevant variables in the analysis of the CSA. Although some studies inform that all age groups below 18 are at risk of being sexually victimized [13], primary school age (between 6 and 12 years old) is the highest moment of take chances for children to suffer CSA for the showtime fourth dimension [15,16,20,29,xxx,31]. Empirical testify has shown that about perpetrators of CSA were known to the victim, either family members or family friends and neighbors [13,xix,32]. Intrafamilial abusers have been linked to more astringent CSA than that perpetrated by acquaintances or strangers and are related to more than contact experiences, earlier onset, longer elapsing, and more health consequences [fifteen,20,29,33]. As the age of the victim increases, the contour of the perpetrator may change. Boyhood is a menses of increased gamble of CSA perpetrated by peers [11,30]. Differences in methodologies, nomenclature, and types of CSA assessed may underlie the variability of the results regarding the relationship with the perpetrator [11]. Finally, it has been consistently reported that perpetrators are mostly males [33,34], although male victims written report abuse past a woman more ofttimes than females [33,35].

In Spain, only ii studies used a representative sample to written report CSA prevalence [eighteen,36]. Both studies constitute loftier rates of corruption experiences that include physical contact, and having suffered several experiences is habitual, with fondling equally the most prevalent. López et al. [36] also establish that the perpetrators were mostly men and every bit distributed among known persons and strangers to the victim. The present report is a continuation of previous research [18] that determined the prevalence of dissimilar CSA experiences and disclosure variables. This contempo study found, in contact CSA, that beingness fondled (16.ix%) and rubbed (14.6%) were the experiences with higher prevalence, followed by being kissed (11.2%), having been asked to touch the abuser's individual parts (10.five%), and having had own individual parts touched (10%). The lowest prevalence found was beingness forced to perform a sexual deed involving penetration (2.8%). Ferragut et al. [18] likewise reported that women suffered significantly more contact abuse experiences, except for acts involving penetration, where similar rates in men and women were found.

Some of the previous studies with the Spanish population analyzed the human relationship with the perpetrator every bit a function of the victim's age and sex, in university samples or only in women [20,37]. These authors found that, before the age of 13, about aggressors tend to belong to the victim'south immediate environment, mainly friends or acquaintances in the case of males and relatives in the case of females [20,37]. In abuses starting after the age of 13, the number of unknown aggressors in females increases [20], besides as the number of peer aggressors [37].

In sum, meta-analysis inquiry had reported high variability in the prevalence rates of CSA and inform that near of the studies analyze samples with a majority of women, university students, or clinical samples [3,9,12,22]. Authors propose that studies analyzing every abusive experience independently and using representative samples are needed to acquire adequate knowledge of the CSA reality [iii,15,20]. Contact experiences of CSA, the victim's age when the abuse started, and the relationship with the perpetrator are important variables that may predict victims' health consequences [38], but the heterogeneity of previous results requires a more detailed analysis of these variables in every CSA experience, differentiating betwixt genders [15]. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of six different CSA experiences with physical contact, including penetration, in a representative Spanish sample, expanding the prevalence study carried out past Ferragut et al. [xviii] with unexplored variables. Specifically, we sought to contribute to a deeper agreement of the characteristics of CSA, taking into business relationship gender differences, and analyzing the age of the victim at the first episode, the number of times that these experiences occurred, whether or non the perpetrator was the aforementioned person (in the case of more than one experience), and the blazon of perpetrator in each experience: gender and relationship with the victim. The findings of this study may serve every bit a basis for the design of social policies and the development of effective prevention programs that take into business relationship the existent characteristics of CSA.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Participants

A sample of 1071 Castilian adults (l.33% males) between xviii and 74 years old (M = 45.37, SD = xiv.84) participated in this study. Concerning educational level, 33.half-dozen% of participants had finished university studies, 33.4% had uncomplicated studies, 27.i% had completed loftier school, and 5.ix% reported no schooling. Because employment condition, 48.five% of respondents were employed at that moment, xx.5% were unemployed, sixteen.seven% were retired, 7.ii% were homemakers, and seven.1% were students. Regarding marital condition, threescore.one% were married, 29.seven% were unmarried, 7.7% were divorced or separated, and 2.4% were widowed. This sample was representative of the full general Spanish population in terms of gender, age, and region (north: 15.four%, center: 26.5%, southward; 23%, and east: 35.1%), equally recorded in the 2018 census report of Kingdom of spain's National Institute of Statistics, with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of mistake equal to 3%.

two.two. Musical instrument

Child Sexual Corruption Experiences Questionnaire

The Kid Sexual Abuse Experience Questionnaire (CSAEQ), developed past Ferragut et al. [xviii] for a national prevalence study, was administered. This is an online questionnaire that retrospectively gathers the occurrence of unlike experiences during babyhood. It includes demographic information and ten questions virtually experiences of CSA, including contact and non-contact experiences. For the present study, only the experiences with physical contact were analyzed. Respondents were asked about experiences that; (1) occurred when they were yet legally a minor (younger than 18 years one-time), (2) involved an developed or another child who exceeded them in terms of age, development, strength, or authority, and (3) were felt to exist inappropriate (i.eastward., not playing with a peer under equal conditions). For this report, six events were analyzed; participants had to answer yes or no if anyone ever: rubbed his/her private parts against them, fondled any part of the victim's body, touched their private parts, ask the victim to touch the perpetrator's private parts, kissed the victim, and forced the victim to perform a sexual act involving penetration. If participants responded yes to any of these experiences, they were then asked to bespeak their age at the time of the first episode (younger than 6 years, vi–11 years, 12–fifteen years, and 16–17 years), how many times they had that experience (once, ii–3, 4–5, and more than 5 times), whether or non the perpetrator was the same person (in the case of more than i experience), the perpetrator's gender (male, female, or both, in the case of more one experience), and the relationship with the perpetrator. In this concluding question, participants had to answer yeah or no to the following relationships: parent, adult family unit fellow member, person responsible for childcare (instructor, instructor, bodyguard, health staff, etc.), adult associate, strange adult, and another pocket-sized.

ii.3. Procedure

Data collection was performed past a specialist market research company, gathering responses through an online survey. This company employs a large number of people who receive incentives for completing surveys through points that can be used in an online store. All the participants signed a collaboration and information protection agreement. This company was awarded the ISO 26362 certification for access panels in marketing, opinion, and social research. The approximate time to complete this questionnaire was betwixt v and 15 minutes. All participants were informed nearly the objectives and that the data would exist treated anonymously for enquiry purposes. They were requested to sign the informed consent and declare beingness over eighteen years old to admission the survey. The report was carried out post-obit the Declaration of Helsinki and was canonical by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Malaga on six May 2020 (number 18-2020-H).

2.4. Information Analysis

For each type of CSA with contact, we analyzed the historic period at the kickoff feel, the number of times that each CSA occurred, whether or non the perpetrator was the same person, the perpetrator's gender, and the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator (parent, adult family unit member, person responsible for childcare (instructor, instructor, babysitter, health staff, etc.), adult acquaintance, strange adult, and another minor). Nosotros computed percentages and used the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test to analyze differences by gender.

3. Results

We nowadays the results of each CSA separately. Overall, of the 1071 participants, 298 (27.82%) had experienced some form of contact CSA.

3.1. Experience 1. "Somebody Rubbed His/Her Private Parts against Me"

Results of the rubbing experience are shown in Table 1. The most prevalent age at the get-go episode of this experience was between half-dozen and 11 years old (40.iv%). Virtually of the victims (68.half dozen%) alleged that the experience happened twice or more than. Of the latter, 57% stated that the abuse was performed by unlike people, mainly by a male. However, in comparison with female victims, a higher percentage of male victims reported that the rubbing was committed by a female perpetrator (18% vs. 3.8%). Regarding the relationship with the perpetrator, the highest percentages reported that the rubbing was performed past a strange adult, followed by an adult acquaintance, and some other minor. The only gender departure involved a small as the perpetrator: male victims declared a higher pct (40.0%) of modest perpetrators than female person victims (18.9%).

Tabular array ane

Percentage of victim'due south age at the commencement experience and perpetrator's characteristics equally a function of gender for "somebody rubbed his/her private parts against me".

Variables	N	%	Male (n = 50)	Female (n = 106)	χ2
Age at first experience
<vi	9	5.8	4.0	six.half dozen	0.46
6–eleven	63	forty.4	42.0	39.vi
12–15	46	29.5	xxx.0	29.two
16–17	38	24.4	24.0	24.5
Number of times
One time	49	31.4	42.0	26.four	five.95
2–3	65	41.7	42.0	41.5
4–v	14	ix.0	6.8	10.4
>5	28	17.9	10.0	21.7
Perpetrator (more than 1 experience)
Same person	46	43.0	44.8	42.three	0.06
Different people	61	57.0	55.2	57.7
Gender of perpetrator
Male	140	89.7	80.0	94.3	9.03 a,**
Female	thirteen	8.3	18.0	3.8
Both	3	1.ix	2.0	1.9
Human relationship with perpetrator
Parent	9	5.eight	2.0	7.5	one.92
Another developed family unit fellow member	29	18.6	12.0	21.7	2.11
Responsible for childcare	8	v.1	6.0	iv.7	0.xi
Adult acquaintance	52	33.3	36.0	32.ane	0.24
Strange developed	65	41.seven	32.0	46.2	2.83
Another minor	40	25.6	40.0	18.nine	7.96 **

3.2. Experience 2. "Somebody Fondled Some Part of My Trunk"

Results of the fondling experience are shown in Table 2. The about prevalent age at the first episode of this blazon of abuse was in the range of six–11 years old (38.7%). Virtually of the victims declared that the fondling happened more than once (63%), and 55.3% reported that the abuse was done past different perpetrators. Nigh of the victims also identified a male as the perpetrator, although a college percent of male person victims than female person victims reported that the fondling was committed by a female perpetrator (24.5% vs. 3%). Overall, the fondling was done mainly by an adult acquaintance, a strange adult, or some other minor. Nonetheless, females reported having been fondled by an developed family member at a higher charge per unit than males (20.5% vs. 8.two%).

Table ii

Per centum of victims' historic period at the showtime experience and perpetrator'due south characteristics as a function of gender for "somebody fondled some part of my body".

Variables	Northward	%	Male person (n = 49)	Female (northward = 132)	χ2
Age at commencement experience
<6	12	6.6	half dozen.1	6.8	two.33
6–11	70	38.seven	34.7	40.2
12–fifteen	61	33.7	30.6	34.8
16–17	38	21.0	28.vi	xviii.2
Number of times
Once	67	37.0	44.ix	34.1	3.03
2–3	65	35.9	36.7	35.6
4–5	17	9.4	6.i	ten.6
>5	32	17.7	12.2	19.vii
Perpetrator (more than ane feel)
Same person	51	44.7	48.1	43.7	0.17
Different people	63	55.3	51.nine	56.3
Gender of perpetrator
Male	162	89.five	73.5	95.v	20.61 a,**
Female	16	8.8	24.five	3.0
Both	iii	ane.seven	2.0	1.5
Human relationship with perpetrator
Parent	10	five.5	2.0	vi.8	1.56
Another adult family member	31	17.i	eight.2	xx.v	3.80 *
Responsible for childcare	9	5.0	6.1	4.5	0.19
Adult acquaintance	63	34.8	30.6	36.4	0.52
Strange adult	61	33.7	36.seven	32.6	0.28
Another minor	53	29.3	30.6	28.viii	0.06

3.iii. Experience three. "Somebody Touched My Private Parts"

Results of the touching experience are shown in Table 3. The first episode of this feel was more than prevalent in the age range of vi–11 years old (49.5%). The feel happened more than once for 57% of the victims, mainly with the same person. The touching was done mainly past a male, although female perpetrators were more frequent among male person victims than among female ones (31.4% vs. 5.6%). Overall, this abuse was performed mainly by an adult acquaintance, a strange developed, or some other pocket-size. All the same, a higher percentage of female victims than male victims reported having been touched by an adult family unit member (23.half-dozen% vs. eight.6%).

Table iii

Percentage of victims' age at the beginning feel and perpetrator's characteristics as a part of gender for "somebody touched my private parts".

Variables	Northward	%	Male person (n = 35)	Female person (due north = 72)	χ2
Age at commencement experience
<6	9	8.4	8.six	8.three	3.47
six–11	53	49.5	37.ane	55.6
12–15	24	22.4	28.six	19.four
16–17	21	19.6	25.7	xvi.7
Number of times
One time	46	43.0	45.7	41.7	v.75
2–3	33	xxx.viii	40.0	26.iv
4–five	9	8.four	8.6	viii.iii
>5	19	17.viii	5.vii	23.six
Perpetrator (more than ane experience)
Same person	39	63.ix	73.vii	59.five	one.14
Different people	22	36.one	26.iii	40.5
Gender of perpetrator
Male	89	83.two	62.nine	93.1	15.40 a,**
Female	15	fourteen.0	31.4	five.6
Both	three	2.8	5.7	1.iv
Relationship with perpetrator
Parent	nine	8.4	five.7	ix.vii	0.50
Some other adult family member	20	xviii.7	8.6	23.6	iii.51 *
Responsible for childcare	6	5.6	8.6	4.2	0.86
Developed acquaintance	xl	37.4	34.iii	38.ix	0.21
Foreign developed	31	29.0	31.4	27.eight	0.15
Another minor	24	22.4	25.7	xx.eight	0.32

3.four. Experience 4. "Somebody Asked Me to Touch His/Her Private Parts"

Results of the feel of touching the abuser are shown in Table 4. The most prevalent age at the first episode of this experience was in the range of 12–fifteen years sometime (33.9%). As in the previous cases, near of the victims (59.8%) reported having suffered this feel more than once, mainly by the aforementioned person. Likewise, most of the victims stated that the perpetrator was a male, although a higher pct of male victims alleged that the abuse was committed by a female perpetrator (29.5% vs. 12.v%). Overall, the asking was made mainly by an adult acquaintance, some other minor, and a foreign developed.

Table iv

Percentage of victims' age at the kickoff experience and perpetrator's characteristics as a function of gender for "somebody asked me to bear upon his/her private parts".

Variables	N	%	Male person (due north = 44)	Female (n = 68)	χ2
Historic period at starting time experience
<half-dozen	8	seven.one	nine.one	5.ix	2.79 a
6–11	35	31.three	36.iv	27.9
12–fifteen	38	33.9	25.0	39.7
sixteen–17	31	27.7	29.5	26.5
Number of times
One time	45	40.2	50.0	33.8	4.89
ii–3	42	37.5	34.1	39.7
4–5	ix	8.0	ix.ane	7.iv
>v	16	14.3	6.8	nineteen.ane
Perpetrator (more than than one experience)
Same person	41	61.two	72.7	55.6	1.85
Different people	26	38.8	27.3	44.iv
Gender of perpetrator
Male person	98	87.5	70.5	98.5	19.25 **
Female	xiv	12.5	29.v	ane.5
Both	0.0	-	-	-
Relationship with perpetrator
Parent	five	4.5	0.0	7.4	3.38
Another adult family member	18	16.1	11.four	19.1	1.20
Responsible for childcare	4	three.6	6.8	one.v	2.21
Adult acquaintance	36	32.ane	31.eight	32.4	0.01
Foreign developed	32	28.6	22.7	32.four	1.21
Another pocket-size	36	32.1	36.4	29.4	0.59

iii.5. Experience 5. "Somebody Kissed Me"

Results of the kissing experience are shown in Tabular array 5. The most prevalent historic period at the first episode of this experience was in the range of 12–15 years old (39.2%). As in previous cases, most of the victims (63.3%) stated that they had had this experience more than one time, mainly with dissimilar perpetrators. The virtually prevalent perpetrator was a male, although nosotros establish a college percentage of male person victims, in comparing with female victims, who declared that they had been kissed past a female person perpetrator (66.vii% vs. 6%). The kissing was performed mainly by another small-scale, an adult acquaintance, and a strange adult, and by another small more often in male victims.

Table 5

Percentage of victims' historic period at the commencement experience and perpetrator's characteristics as a function of gender for "somebody kissed me".

Variables	Northward	%	Male (n = 36)	Female person (north = 84)	χ2
Age at start feel
<six	iii	2.5	5.6	1.ii	2.56 a
6–11	xxx	25.0	27.8	23.8
12–fifteen	47	39.2	38.9	39.iii
xvi–17	forty	33.3	27.viii	35.7
Number of times
One time	44	36.7	36.1	36.ix	1.29 a
2–iii	54	45.0	50.0	42.9
4–5	6	5.0	5.6	four.8
>five	16	13.3	8.three	15.5
Perpetrator (more than 1 experience)
Same person	32	42.1	43.5	41.v	0.03
Unlike people	44	57.ix	56.v	58.5
Gender of perpetrator
Male person	85	70.eight	25.0	ninety.5	54.83 a,**
Female	29	24.2	66.7	6.0
Both	6	5.0	8.three	3.half-dozen
Relationship with perpetrator
Parent	5	4.2	0.0	6.0	2.24
Another developed family unit member	17	14.two	11.one	fifteen.5	0.xl
Responsible for childcare	eight	6.7	five.half-dozen	vii.1	0.x
Adult associate	41	34.2	25.0	38.one	1.92
Strange adult	31	25.8	22.2	27.4	0.35
Some other minor	54	45.0	61.1	38.one	5.40 *

3.half dozen. Experience half dozen. "Somebody Forced Me to Perform a Sexual Human action Involving Penetration"

Results of the penetration experience are shown in Table half-dozen. The commencement episode of this experience was more prevalent in the age range of 16–17 years quondam (46.7%), although there was quite a large percent at the age of half dozen–11 (36.7%). More than than half of the victims (56.7%) declared that this experience happened twice or more, mainly with the aforementioned person. Most of the victims stated that the perpetrator was a male, with no differences past gender. Regarding the relationship with the perpetrator, an developed acquaintance was the virtually prevalent, followed by a strange adult, an adult family member, and another small. The difference between genders tended to be pregnant (p = 0.054) when a person responsible for childcare was the perpetrator, which was more prevalent for male victims than for female person ones (25% vs. 0%).

Table 6

Percentage of victims' historic period at the first experience and perpetrator'due south characteristics as a part of gender for "somebody forced me to perform a sexual act involving penetration".

Variables	N	%	Male person (n = 12)	Female (n = eighteen)	χtwo
Age at first feel
<six	one	3.3	0.0	v.6	1.22 a
6–eleven	11	36.7	41.7	33.3
12–15	4	xiii.3	8.3	16.vii
16–17	14	46.7	fifty.0	44.four
Number of times
In one case	13	43.3	33.3	l.0	0.85 a
2–3	eleven	36.7	41.seven	33.3
4–5	2	half dozen.7	viii.3	v.half-dozen
>v	4	13.iii	16.7	11.1
Perpetrator (more than ane experience)
Same person	10	58.8	l.0	66.7	0.49
Different people	seven	41.2	50.0	33.three
Gender of perpetrator
Male person	26	86.7	75.0	94.4	2.36
Female	iv	xiii.iii	25.0	5.six
Both	0	-	-	-
Relationship with perpetrator
Parent	iii	10.0	8.3	11.one	0.06
Another adult family member	six	20.0	16.7	22.two	0.14
Responsible for childcare	3	10.0	25.0	0.0	five.0 *
Adult acquaintance	ten	33.3	50.0	22.ii	2.5
Foreign adult	8	26.vii	33.3	22.2	0.45
Another minor	6	20.0	8.three	27.eight	ane.71

In summary, regarding the six types of CSA with contact that were analyzed, we found that:

• There were no gender differences regarding the age at the first episode of contact CSA. The most prevalent age was from 6 years old onwards. The age comparison amid the different types of CSA is shown in Figure ane.

  

  Age at the start episode every bit a function of the type of CSA with contact.

• The abuses commonly happened more than once, without gender differences.

• In cases where the abuses happened more than once, the most invasive abuses were committed by the aforementioned person (touching the victim's private parts, asking the victim to bear on the perpetrator's private parts, and forcing the victim to perform a sexual act involving penetration). At that place were no gender differences.

• The nearly prevalent perpetrator was a male, although there were gender differences in about of the experiences, such that a female perpetrator was more prevalent in male victims.

• Virtually of the CSA experiences were committed by an adult associate, a strange developed, and other minors. The comparing among the types of CSA is shown in Figure two. Nevertheless, there were some gender differences: males more oft reported having been rubbed and kissed by another minor and tended to report having been forced to perform a sexual deed involving penetration by a person responsible for childcare, whereas female victims more frequently reported having been fondled and touched by an developed family member.

  

  Perpetrator every bit a function of the type of CSA with contact.

4. Word

This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of six dissimilar CSA experiences with physical contact, including penetration, in a representative Spanish sample, expanding the prevalence study carried out by Ferragut et al. [18] with unexplored variables. Specifically, we sought to contribute to a deeper understanding of the characteristics of CSA, taking into account gender differences, and analyzing the victim'south historic period at the first episode, the number of times that these experiences occurred, whether or not the perpetrator was the same person (in the case of more than than one experience), and the perpetrator profile in each experience: gender and relationship with the victim. The six types of CSA assessed include that someone: rubbed his/her private parts against the victim, fondled whatsoever office of the victim's trunk, touched the victim's private parts, asked the victim to touch on the perpetrator'southward private parts, kissed the victim, and forced the victim to perform a sexual act including penetration.

Regarding the historic period at the kickoff episode, no gender differences were institute in whatever of the experiences. The most prevalent general age to have suffered any CSA contact experience for the kickoff time is from vi years erstwhile onwards. The results confirmed that the age range betwixt 6 and 11 years is a high-take a chance catamenia, with increased prevalence for the get-go episode in three of the six experiences with contact assessed, in line with previous studies [fifteen,16,20,29,thirty,31]. Some authors have informed that the before the abuse starts, the more severe it is and the more severe its consequences are [xix,twenty]. This highlights the importance of the main pedagogy stage for the prevention and early detection of CSA, implementing programs in the school context that protect children and help them place and written report the abuses. However, adolescence has too been found to be a flow of high risk for CSA for both genders, with the age range from 12 to 15 years old being the nigh prevalent for two CSA experiences and with loftier percentages in the rest of the events. This result supports the findings of previous studies that consider adolescence as a moment of increased risk for sexual corruption and intercourse [11,21,30,39,40], and indicates the need to reinforce preventive programs in the adolescent stage.

Most of the calumniating experiences had happened repeatedly (more than once), without gender differences. If the experience had happened more than once, the near invasive abuses were committed by the same person without gender differences (touching victims' private parts, asking the victim to impact perpetrators' private parts, and forcing the victim to perform a sexual act involving penetration). This result is consistent with previous research in Espana, which plant that more half of the contact abuses were continued over time [29]. Results suggest that victims of CSA with contact are very likely to endure a chronic or repetitive situation with the aforementioned perpetrator when the abuses are related to touching intimate parts or sexual intercourse. It is shown that CSA is not usually an isolated experience, and the take chances of revictimization is loftier both for girls and boys, which indicates the need for CSA prevention and detection at very early on ages. Previous inquiry has studied revictimization in CSA, finding that perceived parental care is the only protective cistron against it [41]. This highlights the importance of involving parents in prevention programs, giving them the resources for early detection of sexual abuse, and teaching them how to provide support to their children.

Regarding the abuser characteristics, the most prevalent perpetrator is a male, although, in five of the six experiences of CSA, male person victims more oftentimes reported having been driveling by a female aggressor. This is in line with previous research that has consistently found that the perpetrators are males in a very high percentage [20,33,34] and with research that has besides found that male person victims report having been abused by a woman more often than female person victims [33,35,42,43]. These results emphasize the importance of considering the female profile as a possible child sex offender and the male profile equally a victim for future research and the design of prevention programs.

Concerning the relationship of the perpetrator with the victim, the results show that adults acquaintances, strange adults, and other minors are the three virtually common perpetrators in all the CSA experiences. This result may conflict with studies that betoken family members or caregivers as the well-nigh prevalent perpetrators [xix,29], only it coincides with other studies stating that most perpetrators of contact abuse are extrafamilial: acquaintances or peers [xv,33]. The relationship betwixt the victim and the perpetrator has previously been related to the victim'southward age, such that acquaintances are more than probable in younger victims, whereas experiences with strangers and peers increase as the victim grows older [11,20,37]. In this report, we have computed each category of the human relationship with the perpetrator separately for the analysis, but when adding all the "known developed perpetrators" (parent, some other adult family fellow member, person responsible for childcare, and developed associate), the percentage is always higher than that of strange adults in all the experiences, as found in previous research [13,19,32]. This issue highlights that, although the relationship with the perpetrator may vary depending on the type of CSA experience, the highest risk is usually constitute in the kid'due south close social environment.

There were some gender differences in the relationship with the perpetrator: males reported a higher rate of having been rubbed and kissed by some other pocket-sized and tended to study having been forced to perform a sexual act involving penetration by a person responsible for childcare, whereas female victims reported a higher rate of having been fondled and touched by an adult family member. Pereda and Forns [37] also found gender differences, with friends or acquaintances being more common perpetrators in the example of males and family unit members in the example of females. This issue helps to provide noesis for detection and prevention programs, highlighting a possible differential blueprint of male and female victims in the relationship with the perpetrator, depending on the blazon of experience. Efforts in prevention and detection could be oriented toward experiences with other minors and persons responsible for childcare in boys and toward experiences in the family unit context in girls.

The results nearly the peers as perpetrators, especially in male victims, deserve attending. Previous studies stated that when peer abuse is included in the analysis, higher rates of CSA are constitute, especially in males [xi,21]. This result has besides been reported in previous studies in Kingdom of spain [36,37]. Hereafter research should accost sexual corruption among peers, especially in males.

Finally, the experience that includes sexual acts with penetration deserves a specific section, given that this type of CSA is associated with severe mental and physical health consequences [43,44], including sexually transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies [45]. Ferragut et al. [eighteen] constitute a prevalence of 2.viii%, indicating that approximately one in 35 minors had been abused with penetration in Spain. The results found in the present report evidence that this CSA has a similar pattern for male and female victims regarding the victim'south historic period at the get-go episode, number of times that it happened, and the perpetrator'due south gender. Overall, the most prevalent age at the commencement episode was between sixteen–17 years (46.7%), followed by half-dozen–eleven years (36.7%); more than half of the victims reported that the experience occurred more than once (56.7%), with the same person (58.8%), mainly with a male perpetrator (86.7%) who was an adult acquaintance (33.iii%). These findings are consequent with those reported by Mohler-Kuo et al. [33], who found that CSA with penetration occurs mainly during adolescence and that well-nigh perpetrators were known to the victim. As mentioned above, the gender difference tended to be significant, p = 0.054, when a person responsible for childcare was the perpetrator and was more prevalent for male victims. It should be noted that 25% of the males abused with penetration reported being abused by a person responsible for childcare compared to 0% of the females. A person responsible for childcare is in a position of say-so over the victims, and perpetrators tin can utilise this advantage to commit an abuse, and this has been establish to be related to the hazard of revictimization [46].

The results of this study may serve to alert the authorities and the adults responsible for childcare to direct their efforts to create safe spaces for children. The school and the responsible adults must be references of prophylactic and care, creating an surroundings in which the risk of aggression against children is detected and minimized. To combat sexual abuse, the communities, public institutions, and society must participate in an informed soapbox about CSA [47]. For this purpose, the implementation of education programs, including sexual abuse information and resources as part of the school and teacher teaching curricula, as well as back up services to students in the school context, could be an optimal way to detect and preclude abuse and should exist considered mandatory [48].

This study has some limitations that must exist best-selling. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzes babyhood experiences reported by adults retrospectively, so it is conditioned by the adults' memories and perchance affected by recollect bias. Further, the fact that participants were informed near the purpose of the study may have introduced an element of self-selection. However, it also has a number of strengths. It analyzes the characteristics of the different contact corruption experiences independently, so the results can be itemized, allowing comparisons with other studies. Furthermore, the sample included is representative of the Castilian population, covering all age ranges and with comparable proportions of men and women, which allows comparison betwixt genders.

5. Conclusions

The findings of this study show that every CSA feel has its own characteristics and context. However, information technology tin be assumed that main didactics (from 6 years old) is mostly i of the highest moments of chance for suffering the first calumniating contact experience. Therefore, this is a key moment to start prevention and detection programs of CSA. Nevertheless, these programs should be reinforced in the boyish stage, where important sexual risks may occur, such equally sexually abusive intercourse with penetration.

Males and females practice non differ significantly in some of the CSA patterns, and they ordinarily suffer these abuses at a like age of onset and repeatedly by the same perpetrator. They are commonly perpetrated by an extrafamilial male person, who may exist an associate, a stranger, or a peer. However, males are at a higher risk of suffering CSA experiences with a female perpetrator. Males more frequently experienced being rubbed and kissed by another minor and beingness forced to perform a sexual human action involving penetration past a person responsible for childcare, whereas females more than frequently reported having been fondled and touched past an adult family unit fellow member.

This information could be useful for future research and practice, as well every bit for the design of preventive programs and the early detection of CSA. Preventive programs should as well target boys to make them understand that they can as well be driveling by a woman or a peer, preventing them from feeling aback of the situation and encouraging them to ask for help. Overall, efforts past the school, the family, and social policies should be combined to minimize the risk of suffering CSA.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, M.F., M.J.B. and M.O.-T.; methodology, M.F. and M.J.B.; software, M.F. and Yard.J.B.; formal analysis, Thousand.J.B.; investigation, Chiliad.F., Thousand.J.B. and One thousand.O.-T.; writing—original draft preparation, M.F.; writing—review and editing, M.J.B. and M.O.-T.; funding conquering, M.F. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by FEDER 2014–2020 Program of The European Marriage and the Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento de la Junta de Andalucía (Grant Number UMA18-FEDERJA-077).

Institutional Review Board Statement

The written report was conducted co-ordinate to the guidelines of the Proclamation of Helsinki and canonical by the Ideals Committee of the University of Malaga (protocol code 18-2020-H approved on 6 May 2020).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the written report.

Data Availability Statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Conflicts of Involvement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Footnotes

Publisher'due south Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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