Factors contributing to child sexual abuse: an ecological analysis

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a widespread problem that can affect victims’ well-being and functioning across the lifespan. It is a concern of society because the physical and mental harm endured by children is extremely destructive. Children of many different backgrounds have been forced to engage in unwanted sexual behaviour because CSA is not isolated to one demographic class. In order to help stop this scourge there is a need for a thorough understanding of the factors that place children at risk for becoming sexually abused at various levels. This paper reviews contextual factors associated with CSA. Most studies address individual characteristics and few consider broader ecological contexts. In this paper, the causes of CSA are framed using the ecological systems model.