A descriptive study of sexually abused children in China

Abstract

Background: Chinese children are vulnerable to sexual victimization but little is known about the prevalence or characteristics of Chinese children who have experienced sexual abuse. Objective: To assess prevalence and characteristics of child sexual abuse in China Method: We have collected and systematically analysed the records of children evaluated for sexual abuse from 2007 to 2010. Statistical analysis of our data was accomplished with SPSS 13.0 software. Results: From 2007-2010, 1998 cases of alleged sexual abuse were investigated in children between 0-18 years of age. Females accounted for 95.2% of victims. When cases reported in 2008 and 2009 were compared with previous years, there was a significant increase (p<0.05). Children aged between 12 to 15 years were more vulnerable to be hurt (p<0.05). During 2010, most of the children were abused by acquaintances and there is a significant difference from 2009 in that strangers were more risky to children (p<0.05). In the recent two years (2009 and 2010), the Internet also shows its power and there is no difference between Internet and newspaper. Conclusion: Child sexual abuse is a serious societal problem in China.