The younger the child, the less likely he will be able to understand the significance of the behavior he is engaging in. Like anything else, children learn sexual behavior from adults. There is a common misconception that women do not sexually abuse children. While little is yet known about how prevalent it is, adult women do sexually abuse boys. A 1993 literature review conducted in the U.S., indicated that mother-son sexual abuse is underreported partly because research studies on prevalence have not been specifically designed to account for differences between male versus female abuser behavior towards the victim.
Incidence rates vary widely between studies.
This is not true. To date, the research reports indicate that 2 out of every three men who were sexually abused as children do not grow-up to become abusers. Men who were sexually abused as children may suffer from an array of difficulties in adulthood. As a form of trauma, sexual abuse can lead to problems with intimacy and trusting others, sexual expression, feelings of inadequacy, anger, social and emotional isolation, addictions and a host of other difficulties. Typically, all of the problems mentioned are of a chronic nature and therefore more difficult to treat.