[General and psychopathologic aspects of sexual abuse in children]

Fifteen cases of sexually abused children, who were treated at a neuropsychiatry unit were reviewed. Age at offense ranged from 5 to 14 years and two thirds of them occurred to girls. Seven cases were rapes. Nine offenders were family members, five were acquaintances and only one was a complete stranger. There cases were those of "father attacking daughter". Two were of "father abusing son", one of which was the rape of a son. Most frequent symptoms after sexual abuse were sleeping disorders (9/15) different kinds of fears (8/15) and depression (6/15). The most common psychopathological features in the parents, were alcoholism (6 cases) and open psychopathic traits in 3 cases (two fathers and one mother). The outcome of these patients was better the greater the family support. The situation is most serious when the aggressor is a family member.