title: The challenge of defining child sexual abuse.
abstract: Although child sexual abuse has been a concern for many researchers, therapists, and advocates for the past 3 decades, several fundamental issues regarding child sexual abuse remain unresolved. In particular, the term child sexual abuse has never been unequivocally defined. The lack of a commonly accepted definition of child sexual abuse continues to inhibit research, treatment, and advocacy efforts. Early researchers used broad and inclusive definitions of child sexual abuse--definitions that often continue to be used today. The consequences of these definitions are discussed, and strategies for developing other definitions of child sexual abuse are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-4401, USA. jjh15@cornell.edu
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Haugaard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009626:Terminology as Topic