What do you believe should be done to a minor that sexually abuses another child?

This is a difficult problem for which there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The appropriate course of action would depend on the age of the offender and his/her reasons for offending. In many cases, children who commit acts of sexual abuse have been sexually abused themselves.

If they are living in an abusive situation then they need to be removed. With child-to-child sexual abuse, punishment does not really accomplish anything - especially if the offender does not believe what he/she did was wrong. The offender needs to be rehabilitated; to be trained out of their deviant behavior.

With adult offenders this can be rather difficult to accomplish, but I would like to think that it is possible. In cases that are less serious, it may be possible to deal with the situation in house with the help of counseling. When the offending is serious, however, it may not be safe to keep the offender at home.

If he/she shares a home with the victim and there is a risk of re-offending, then the offender needs to be removed from the home. The first choice would be to place the child with another family member, but in the most serious cases they may need to be housed in some sort of secured facility - preferably a foster home that is equipped to deal with problem children, but if that is not available then they should be placed in a detention center. With the offender secured, then rehabilitation can begin.An intensive course of counseling with a psychiatrist or psychologist - and group therapy if the offender is in a detention center.

The offender's sentence needs to be considered treatment, rather than punishment. As such, a fixed period of time is not appropriate. They should remain in custody until their treatment is considered complete; they can be released when they have demonstrated a genuine change in attitude.

I would say this is an extremely touchy subject. Either way, when someone sexually abuses a child or anyone for that matter... They have something wrong in their head. Doesn't mean it's an excuse to make it okay, but it's something to look into.So, Of course they should defiantly be punished for their actions.

Even if it is a mental disorder, they've caused harm to a child... And the harm they caused will more than likely cause a series of mental problems for said child. I do believe they should be sent to a psychiatrist especially if their between the ages of 13-15. From what I've read, a lot of children who sexually abuse other children.. it's because they're being sexually abused by someone, could be an adult, friend, family member... So for that matter, it should defiantly be looked into.

Also, because they are so young... They can still be helped, though it's a horrible disgusting thing to happen. It may also be something that can be fixed, mind you I say *May*. So, I would say they should go to both a psychiatrist and a detention center.

As far as how long should the punishment or treatment last... Er, That's a toughy. I believe it should be something decided by whom ever's giving them mental treatment and the judge. I think for children that are younger, say 12-14 may possibly be able to ignore a long sentence.

However, it would really depend on their mental state. As for the ages 15-17 they should have a longer sentence... But that's just my opinion. I believe at that age you pretty much know what you're doing more than if they were younger, and you're piratically an adult.

However again, it should really depend on their mental state. I believe mental treatment should last for years. I think it should be something they're required to have weekly check ups on for years.

I don't think you go to a few sit downs and all of a sudden you're cured. I would believe that if, indeed the reason they've done the act they did is because it happened to them as well when they were possibly younger, that's a whole string of emotional mental issues that'll take years to work through. Very interesting question.

(Sorry if it's a bit jumbled, kind've tired... yet I cannot sleep. ).

This question is nearly impossible to give a concrete answer to. Sexual abuse is about so many different things than the sexual acts. Dominance, aggression, and a need to assert power over another are all part of the abuse equation.

Often other psychological and physical abuse tactics go along with the sexual abuse as they are part of a greater need to control the victim. Reading further in the link you provided gives a huge key to the answer. "20 to 50% of adolescents who have sexually abused children were themselves victims of physical abuse and approximately 40 to 80% were victims of sexual abuse."

Given this statistic, its most important to view the situation as a cycle of problems that cannot be addressed by punishment alone. Punishment may in fact be necessary given the age of the offender, the severity of the crime committed and the intent. Only a thorough investigation can determine these things.

However, given that the offender is a minor its likely that they would benefit from or are simply calling attention to a need for help. In general, a court or legal system would make the decision about the length and type of punishment. Medical professionals in the psychiatric field would be able to determine the course and length of treatment or counseling to help the offending minor understand and deal with the root causes of their behavior.

Therefore there can be no set time frame on recovery, or a pre-determined formula for how to accomplish it.

In this situation, there are so many variables that each case should be dealt with on a separate basis. For example: The age difference...as I know many teens that are in relationships (if you can even consider it a relationship) with someone a few years older. A 13 year old with a 15 year old.

The severity of the action. Was this an example of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours? " or was it met with more aggression.

Unfortunately, this happens, and most likely it happens more often than we think. The first step to determining a treatment or punishment would be to have the offender evaluated by a psychologist. This may determine whether or not the child has issues that reach far beyond their actions.

Are they somehow prone to this behavior? Are there any signs of trauma in their past? Unfortunately many children who commit these types of crimes, have at one point been victims themselves.

The only positive aspect to discovering this at an early age is the possibility of treating the child, to prevent them from abusing again. To possibly get to the root of the problem before there are more victims. The need to have long term therapy, which could last several years, depending on how deep their issues are.

They do however need to have a suitable punishment for their actions. Once they have been evaluated, and therapy has been established, they will should be remanded to a juvenile detention facility where they can be monitored and held liable for their actions. This could be a few months to a year and should depend upon their treatment plan.

This will also depend on the statutes set forth by state law. Either way, I think the most important factor to consider is the child's ability to be rehabilitated. They are still young enough where an impact could be made on future behavior.

Also, the victim of this abuser needs to have counseling as well. Because we are dealing with children, the situation needs to be dealt with more on a level of how to fix it, not just a punishment.

Sexual abuse is a problem that should be handled quickly. I think that the history of the abuser should be taken into account first. Have they done this before?

Was it done to them? A psychiatrist is the best person to find this out in most cases. A detention center is a place they should be.

They did it and most people by the age of 13 has a base understanding of right and wrong. If this person doesn't have the understanding of why it was wrong they should still be placed in the center because this will teach them. Once they have served time for what they have done then they should still continue to see a psychiatrist.

I believe they should see that person for the rest of their lives if needed. As long as the abuser is a threat they should see someone for the problem.

Define abuse. Torture? Rape?

Gang bangs? Garden implements? Sure.

But looking, fondling, twiddling? Abuse? Seriously?

Where's the motive, where's the mental and emotional maturity to even imaging intentionally hurting (the definition of abuse) someone else in them? Kids aren't "abusing" anyone. Kids explore their own bodies and are naturally curious.

EVERYone plays around as kids, even you. Did you get in trouble for it? SHOULD you have?

Should you now? What good would that do? Sadly most parents divert the responsibility for educating their children on sex, health, maturing boundaries to others or ignore it completely.No surprise kids are wondering about what everyone else is talking about and what they saw on TV or in the movies or walked in on in their own home.

No surprise that even without all those possible influences kids are just curious and have no guidance on how to corral or channel all the physical and emotional (aka hormonal) changes they're going through! Kids are maturing physically far earlier than we did and it's confusing.(1) They don't have the mental ability to discern and discipline themselves.In today's culture of "doing what feels right" and not exercising our willpower but instead being told that our sexuality is programmed into us (not a choice) can you really expect kids to behave any differently? Who is to judge that they're not just responding to genetic predisposition and can't help it?(2) It's unfair to presume that anyone is being hurt besides the pride or sentimentalities of the adults who find out about it.

If, in fact, a child is hurt or repeatedly accosts other children (abuse isn't always sexual) then intervention is needed. But who here can honestly say they never played peek-a-boo with the neighbor or a sibling? Or Doctor?

Is it only abuse when it involves a boy? What about girls and other girls? Girls go to the bathroom together, check out the changes their bodies are going through together, poke, tickle, tease, play.

Why isn't that abuse? I point this out because sometimes it's not called abuse unless a boy is involved. Punishing kids for doing something they don't even comprehend in the first place is only helping adults feel better.

The kid is still not going to understand what just happened or why such a big deal is being made about it. All they know is they're getting in trouble again and that the feelings they have are "unnatural" even though they aren't. Even kids that are properly supervised, engaged in other activities and are educated early on are curious.

What do we do? Well first thing is to stop freaking out over it and only step in with treatment programs and legal implications when someone gets hurt. That includes bullies (bad touch isn't limited to genitalia).

As for prevention - don't leave your kids to babysit themselves or engage in private activities with anyone (adult or child) unsupervised or behind closed doors. The TV and gaming system isn't a babysitter or pacifier. Some have even drawn the corollary that leaving your kids alone to surf the internet is like putting your child in a room with a million strangers - alone!

Spend time with them and keep their minds and hands occupied with healthy activities, diet and exercise. When they ask questions or start noticing their bodies (or the bodies of others), talk to them about it. Get help from a counsellor if you can't figure out how to talk about it but make sure they have access to good information, boundary exercises, communication skills.

Activities for the mind and the hands, structured schedules, consistent rewards and consequences - that's what kids need to grow up healthy and limit their ability to negatively impact the lives of others (or be so impacted). But we need to quit vilifying children for the guilty crimes of our own past and spend more time loving and guiding them instead. Before someone who felt they were abused by another child steps in with unnecessary details about their own experience in an effort to refute what I've shared.

Let me just say that you're not the only one who had things happen to them. I chose to react differently to my experiences rather than typically - which is allowed. Fortunately no one made a big deal out of what happened to me and no one got hurt so I decided it was just a thing and not something worth writing home about just because I was confused and it happened.

I was more traumatized by trying to learn how to swim than I ever was by being twiddled.So my opinion is just as valid even if it's different than most.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.