Family responses to extrafamilial child sexual abuse: an overview and an experiential perspective.

Extrafamilial child sexual abuse, and the resultant responses that occur, can dramatically affect the lives of young children and their families. As many as four out of 10 children are sexually abused each year (6), which suggests that significant numbers of children are sexually abused. Many nurses have little awareness of the issues of extrafamilial child sexual abuse and the traumatic impact on the family. Although this article is not a scientific study of family responses, the author employed a theoretical approach in her presentation of her own family's responses to her son's sexual victimization. An overview of child sexual abuse is presented. Family-centered nursing implications in caring for these children and their families are included.