ABSTRACT
The literature on child sexual abuse is full of clinical observations about problems that are thought to be associated with a history of abuse, such as sexual dysfunction, depression, and low self-esteem. This chapter provides a clear model and suggests a conceptualization of the impact of sexual abuse that can be used in both research and treatment. Children's attempts to cope with the world through these distortions may result in some of the behavioral problems that are commonly noted in victims of child sexual abuse. The chapter describes the model and suggests some of its ramifications and uses. It illustrates how the model can be used in clinical work and in research. Traumatic sexualization refers to a process in which a child's sexuality is shaped in a developmentally inappropriate and interpersonally dysfunctional fashion as a result of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse experiences can vary dramatically in terms of the amount and kind of traumatic sexualization they provoke.
