ABSTRACT
The Freudian concept of a “latency stage” refers to the period of development, in both sexes, from the fifth year until puberty; for boys, the modal age at which puberty is reached is 13. This chapter addresses the subject of the molestation of boys who are in this process of preparing for their sexual role in life. Little research exists on the subject of the impact upon a boy’s family of the revelation that he has been the victim of molestation. Vulnerability to sexual abuse derives from more than a single source, and that is one reason why the ensuing trauma is so difficult to treat. The abdication by a father figure of the fatherly role in guiding a young boy into adolescence is the key to understanding a boy’s susceptibility to molestation, as well as a starting place for psychotherapy with the child after his assault and ensuing trauma.
