Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is the ill-treatment of children in a sexual context. It is regarded as particularly reprehensible in many societies.
Child sexual abuse is overwhelmingly done by parents of the children, or at their behest. Systematic denial perpetuates the myth of a "stranger" (typically male) accosting children, as the principal cause of child sexual abuse. However, some pedophiles do seek out victims among children in this way.
Child sexual abuse has been given much more attention in Western society since the late 1970s. Awareness of the problem has greatly increased, although much remains to be done. Critics have argued that in a number of cases innocent people have become victims of mass hysteria surrounding child sexual abuse. Psychological techniques involving discovery of child sexual abuse, including memory recovery, are considered questionable by some.
Historical aspects
Pederasty in ancient Greece took on mystical significance, where semen from a noble man was believed to give Arete to a young man through anal intercourse. This was part of a common practice in Greece where a noble man took on a young male as a student. This relationship was highly idealized in Greek culture and often involved sexual acts as mentioned.
Throughout history, child sexual abuse has taken on highly ritualized forms. Some of these have included castration, circumcision, infibulation, cutting and bleeding of the genitals, chinese footbinding, and female genital mutilation. These acts are all sexual in the sense that they involve the sexual organs, but not necessarily in the sense that they give sexual gratification to someone else.
Circumcision was, until very recently, performed without anesthesia of any kind. And while Jews perform it in infancy, among Moslems it usually occurs between 3 and 6 years of age. Among some native peoples, it is part of an initiation rite that takes place at an even more advanced age. The ritual can be extremely painful and bloody, sometimes leading to infection and death.
Chinese footbinding was performed so that the big toe of the foot would stick out and serve as a substitute penis. Chinese texts describe the use of the big toe in sexual play.
See also