If 8 year old child sexually abuses 6 year old child is it consider child abuse?

Question

Please help! I do not know who to talk to about this that will help the child.

Answer 1

It can be considered sexual abuse, each state has different definitions of sexual abuse (it depends on what acts are considered abuse, the age of the abused child, the age of the abuser etc). Please contact a teacher, school counselor or administrator, since usually if a child sexually abuses another child, the abusing child has learned the behavior from someone who is sexually abusing them as well.

The 6 year old needs to know that they haven't done anything wrong, and that they will be protected from the 8 year old. The 8 year old is a risk to anyone smaller or younger than them, since they have been taught that what they are doing is "normal"...they won't stop, they'll continue to find other victims even if they stop abusing the present 6 year old child.

The 6 year old (and 8 year old) could act out in many different ways, and will need support and tools to deal with the anger and fear that they have about what happened to them.

Please talk to someone to protect both of these children!
Or call the Exploited Child Unit at 1-800-843-5678 or use one of the 800 numbers below...

Answer 2

Yes its abuse... but as the above person said each state will have its own definitions etc so you need to contact the relevent people... I'm not from America so I'm not sure of the legalities but this is still a very serious matter and needs to be sorted out asap... if possible remove the 6 year old from the contact of the 8 year old... but don't forget that there will be a reason why the 8 year old is doing this. From my personal experience working with kids (5-11 yrs old) who have been sexually abused they sometimes sexually abuse other kids as a reaction to their abuse... so just bear that in mind... may not be the case, but if it is then the 8 year old neeeds help too.