What Constitutes Child Sexual Abuse?

Child sexual abuse (CSA) can be defined from both a legal and clinical perspective. The legal perspective prohibits certain sexual acts as defined by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. According to these statues, CSA includes the persuasion of any child to engage in any sexually explicit conduct, as well as the rape, molestation, prostitution, or other forms of sexual exploitation of children.

Punishable sexual acts against children include non-contact acts such as:

• Making sexual comments to a child
• The exposing of genitals to a child
• Voyeurism
• Showing pornographic material to a child, or photographing a child for use in pornographic material
• Coercing a child to undress or masturbate

Punishable sexual acts against children also include contact acts such as:

• Touching a child's genitals
• Coercing a child to touch another person's genitals
• Placing a finger on a child's genitals or anus, and/or coercing a child to do so to someone else
• Oral sex, including tongue-kissing, cunnilingus or fellatio
• Penile penetration or sexual intercourse

CSA is a criminal act and punishable by law. Penalties vary depending on the age of the child, the crimes which were committed, and the level of force that was used. If there is any indication that a child has been sexually abused you should contact the local Massachusetts authorities.

For more information about identifying child sexual abuse, visit our article library. 

Next, it would be in your best interest to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney that specializes in child abuse in Massachusetts. It is important that the lawyer has handled these types of cases and that they understand child abuse.

The attorneys at Phillips & Garcia will fight for your rights in your child abuse lawsuit. We are committed to protecting your best interests and helping you collect the damages you need and deserve to move on with your life. If you or someone you know has been a victim of child abuse, contact Phillips & Garcia today to schedule your FREE legal consultation - (877) 892-5620.