What is child sexual abuse?

Children can be sexually abused by adults or by other children who are in a position of power or authority over the child. It can be perpetrated in person, via phone or online. Child sexual abuse includes but is not limited to:

• kissing, holding or fondling a child in a sexual way
• exposing genitals to a child
• talking in a sexual way that's not appropriate for the child's age
• making obscene phone calls, text messages or remarks
• persistently intruding on a child's privacy
• penetrating a child's vagina or anus by penis, finger or other object
• showing pornographic videos or images to a child
• having a child pose or behave in a sexual way
• forcing a child or young person to watch a sexual act
• coercing a child or young person to perform a sexual act on themselves, another child, or with an adult
• oral sex
• rape / statutory rape (having sex with a child under 16 years of age)
• incest
• child prostitution.