“Understanding It Wasn't Your Fault Child abuse is defined as “the physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of children” (http://www .definitions.net/ definition/child%20abuse) while sexual abuse is defined as “a statutory offense which provides that knowingly inducing another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or threat” (http://www.definitions.net/definition/abus%20sexual). Sexual abuse occurs across all ethnic/racial, socioeconomic, and religious groups. They are almost as old as the history of humanity itself. This is neither new nor rare. This is a long-standing epidemic problem. Its impact can be devastating. There are a number of commonly held misconceptions regarding child sexual abuse, such as: sexual abuse is limited to sexual intercourse between an adult and a child; the perpetrator of sexual abuse is always a stranger; and rape affects adult women, not children. Of course, these assumptions are false. Sexual abuse does not always involve bodily contact. Exposing a child to sexual situations or material constitutes sexual abuse, whether or not it involves touching. I had to read the article several times to make sure I understood the gist of what I was reading. I can't say I understand it completely. What scares me even more is that sexual abuse usually happens at the hands of someone the child knows and should be able to trust – most often close relatives. I cannot understand how an adult/guardian can look into the beautiful eyes of an unsuspecting innocent child and commit sexual atrocities towards that child, a child who depends solely on you as their protector. As I write this, I look at my younger brothers and sisters who are screaming at the top of their lungs a...... middle of paper......aling. I wish this person suffered as much as I suffered, but I am not God. I cannot dictate the lives of others, I can only dictate my own. I will go into nursing when I finish this program. There is a deep desire within me to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged people. The article mentions that the first way to reassure the abused person is to let them know that it is not their fault. In my opinion, among the many atrocities committed against the world's innocent youth, child sexual abuse is perhaps the most inexcusable. /www.definitions.net/definition/sexual%20abuse)(Bass, E. & Davis, L. (1988). Understanding It Wasn't Your Fault. The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of sexual abuse (pp. 106