ABSTRACT
Determining a clear-cut definition of female sexual abuse is challenging at best. There are cultural variations in what is considered abusive and nonabusive treatment of children. Finkelhor and Korbin (1988) have developed this international definition of abuse, which is applicable to all cultures: "Child abuse is the portion of harm to children that results from human action that is proscribed, proximate and preventable" (p. 3). Lawson (1993) has suggested that maternal sexual abuse should include the following categorizations: subtle, seductive, pervasive, overt, and sadistic (p. 265). She defined each of these categories as follows,
Subtle abuse is defined as behaviors that may not intentionally be sexual in nature but serve to meet the parent's emotional and/or sexual needs at the expense of the child's emotional and/or developmental needs. . . . Seductive abuse implies conscious awareness and intention of arousing or stimulating the child sexually . . . e.g., exhibitionistic display of nudity or sexual behavior; exposure to pornographic materials, etc. . . . Abuse of the child's sexuality or perversive abuse may include behavior such as forcing the boy to wear female clothing, criticizing the child's rate of sexual development, threatening the child with fears of homosexuality. . . . Overt sexual abuse . . . behaviors included are: attempted intercourse, cunnilingus, anilingus, fellatio, genital fondling, digital penetration. . . . Sadistic sexual abuse includes maternal sexual behavior that is intended to hurt the child and may be part of a general pattern of severe physical and emotional abuse, (pp. 265-266)
