Definition of child sexual abuse
These guidelines adopt the definition of child sexual abuse formulated by the
1999 WHO Consultation on Child Abuse Prevention (62) which stated that:
“Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or
she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for
which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or
that violates the laws or social taboos of society. Child sexual abuse is evidenced
by this activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or
development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power, the activity
being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person. This may
include but is not limited to:
— the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual
activity;
— the exploitative use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual
practices;
— the exploitative use of children in pornographic performance and
materials