Child Victims of Sexual Abuse and the Law

This article provides an overview of the significant legal issues presented in the investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse allegations. Over the course of the past three decades there has been a dramatic change in the way society views and responds to child sexual abuse. Consequently, the legal system’s response to child sexual abuse has become much more enlightened and now provides important procedural, evidentiary, and substantive protections for child victims. These protections stem from past failures to fully recognize the particular vulnerability of child victims of sexual abuse when forced to participate in court proceedings designed for adults. Child-sensitive practices have emerged and are now routinely employed in civil and criminal court proceedings to maintain the delicate balance between the rights of the accused and the child victim’s need for safety and well-being.