Additionally, there are also both short term and long term consequences. This results in them being passive, needy, quiet, and socially isolated, making them more appealing to sexual predators.Ĭhild physical abuse can be defined as when an adult physically kicks, punches, throws, or even pushes a child (Hines et al., 2013). Finally, dysfunctional families are at a risk because they are an unorganized family that leaves the child vulnerable due to the lack of closeness, flexibility, and cohesiveness (Hines et al., 2013). Furthermore, girls who live with their stepfather or does not have the emotionally attention of their mother are at a risk as well because it leaves them emotionally deprived and defenseless against sexual predators. (2013), those who are ages seven through twelve and are female have a higher risk of sexual maltreatment. The microsystem includes gender, age, living with a nonbiological parent, dysfunctional family, lack of intimacy between parents, an emotionally unavailable mother, or a mother with a drinking problem. One of the reasons why living in a rural area heightens the risk of child sexual maltreatment is because the family is socially isolated in comparison to families who live in urban area and experience more socialization. The macrosystem includes unemployment and low socioeconomic status while the exosystem consists of living in a rural area (Hines et al., 2013). There are many risk factors across the ecological systems that contribute to child sexual maltreatment. As a result, the child will have an underdeveloped brain. According to Van der Kolk (2013), a child who is traumatized of sexual assault at a young age can possibly develop eating disorders, substance abuse, and lack of trust because her brain has not been fully developed yet. Since Precious is twelve years old, her brain has not been fully developed yet. Her mother sexually assaults her when she is sleeping by touching her inappropriately as she is pleasuring herself while her father sexually assaults her by impregnating her the second time at the age of twelve (Sapphire, 1996).

We see in the story that Precious that she is a victim of child sexual maltreatment from both of her parents. The short term outcomes can affect a child’s interpersonal, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral health (Hines et al., 2013) Furthermore, those child are more likely to become anxious, suicidal, depressed, and aggressive in comparison to those who are not a victim of child sexual maltreatment. There are many negative effects in both short term and long term outcomes whenever a child is sexually maltreated. Child sexual maltreatment can be defined as when an adult inappropriately touches a child or involves them in any sexual activity (Hines, Malley-Morrison, & Dutton, 2013).

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