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Published on: June 20, 2020
Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse in Spain: A Representative Sample Study
Marta Ferragut1, Margarita Ortiz-Tallo1,2, Maria J Blanca1
1University of Málaga, Spain.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
|September 22, 2021
Summary
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is prevalent in Spain, affecting 2.8% to 18.5% of adults. Females and young adults (Generation Z) reported higher rates, with many not disclosing the abuse.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Assessing child sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence is challenging due to varying study methodologies and samples.
- Representative prevalence data for CSA in Spain is currently lacking.
- Understanding CSA prevalence is crucial for informing prevention and policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of various child sexual abuse experiences in a representative Spanish adult sample.
- To analyze CSA prevalence based on gender and generational cohorts.
- To investigate disclosure patterns of CSA experiences.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous online survey administered to 1,071 Spanish adults (539 male, 532 female), representative by gender, age, and region.
- Survey assessed different types of CSA experiences and whether they were disclosed at the time.
- Prevalence rates were analyzed across different CSA types, genders, and generations (including Generation Z).
Main Results:
- Reported CSA prevalence ranged from 2.8% to 18.5% depending on the specific experience.
- Being shown pornographic material was the most common CSA experience; forced sexual acts involving penetration were least common.
- Females reported higher prevalence than males for eight of ten CSA types. Generation Z adults reported higher rates for three experiences, two technology-related.
Conclusions:
- Child sexual abuse is a significant issue in Spain, with substantial prevalence rates for multiple abusive experiences.
- Females and younger generations, particularly Generation Z, are disproportionately affected by CSA.
- Low disclosure rates (27.5%) highlight the need for improved support systems and prevention strategies informed by these findings.
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