Is this Child Sexual Abuse?

[Sunstone]

Years ago, when I was studying anthropology, one of my textbooks mentioned an ethnic group in India that practiced masturbating its infant children in order to sooth the infants. That is the adults would stroke the infant's genitals until the infants ceased crying, went to sleep, etc.

The question of whether that practice is or is not child abuse recently came up in another thread. Rather than take that thread off topic, I thought I would ask the question here.

So, is massaging/masturbating an infant necessarily child sexual abuse, regardless of the cultural context? That is, is it child sexual abuse if the local culture or society sees nothing wrong with it? What do you think?

 

[bobhikes]

I would argue that masterbating releases chemicals in the body, which is why the parents or nannies are using it. I don't think the release of these chemicals in infants has been studied enough to determine if it is abuse.

If we had some scientific studies then I could determine if it was abuse. A lot of things done in the past are abuse today, only because of what we currently know.

 

[Storm]

I lean towards no.

 

[atanu]

Years ago, when I was studying anthropology, one of my textbooks mentioned an ethnic group in India that practiced masturbating its infant children in order to sooth the infants. That is the adults would stroke the infant's genitals until the infants ceased crying, went to sleep, etc.

The question of whether that practice is or is not child abuse recently came up in another thread. Rather than take that thread off topic, I thought I would ask the question here.

So, is massaging/masturbating an infant necessarily child sexual abuse, regardless of the cultural context? That is, is it child sexual abuse if the local culture or society sees nothing wrong with it? What do you think?

I have not heard of this practice but I am not an athropologist. I think, it will depend on intention of the adult and also on whether the child perceived it as an abuse and stored it as abuse in mind.

We adults sleep well after a good loving sex.

 

[Draka]

I would argue that masterbating releases chemicals in the body, which is why the parents or nannies are using it. I don't think the release of these chemicals in infants has been studied enough to determine if it is abuse.

If we had some scientific studies then I could determine if it was abuse. A lot of things done in the past are abuse today, only because of what we currently know.

Here's the catch though, in order for scientific studies to be done then a group of babies would have to be masturbated in order to study the effects. Since babies cannot give consent to be part of the group, then their parents would. If it were found to be damaging or abusive in anyway, then the parents would be then guilty of subjecting their child to damaging sexual abuse and any repercussions thereof. What parents would willingly take that risk? Aside from this one culture in India who already seems to think it alright that is.

 

[YmirGF]

So, is massaging/masturbating an infant necessarily child sexual abuse, regardless of the cultural context? That is, is it child sexual abuse if the local culture or society sees nothing wrong with it? What do you think?

I would think that if it is done with the intent of soothing the child, rather than satisfying some underlying sexual need of the adult, I don't see much harm with the practice. It's not like the infant is likely to remember.

Draka makes a very good point though regarding coming to a consensus on this topic.

 

[Songbird]

I have a strange somewhat off-topic story, but it's related. I've a friend of a friend who apparently tells her young son to touch himself when he's upset. I don't know details, because I heard it third-hand, but she sort of trained him to soothe himself in this manner from the time he was a baby. I think we're prudish in general as a society, but this seems like a strange soothing method to teach. For one, he won't be able to comfort himself in public like this, for another I'd think he could develop a kind of sexual addiction. At least, if she didn't teach him other self-soothing methods. It's one thing to assure kids that their body is pleasurable and touching is okay, but it seems unhealthy to constantly reinforce it as the main stress-reliever.

 

[Draka]

I have a strange somewhat off-topic story, but it's related. I've a friend of a friend who apparently tells her young son to touch himself when he's upset. I don't know details, because I heard it third-hand, but she sort of trained him to soothe himself in this manner from the time he was a baby. I think we're prudish in general as a society, but this seems like a strange soothing method to teach. For one, he won't be able to comfort himself in public like this, for another I'd think he could develop a kind of sexual addiction. At least, if she didn't teach him other self-soothing methods. It's one thing to assure kids that their body is pleasurable and touching is okay, but it seems unhealthy to constantly reinforce it as the main stress-reliever.

Can you imagine the reaction when he gets upset in the middle of a class at school sometime and decides to "soothe" himself this way? :cover:

 

[Songbird]

Can you imagine the reaction when he gets upset in the middle of a class at school sometime and decides to "soothe" himself this way? :cover:

That's what I thought too!

 

[9Westy9]

That's what I thought too!

Maybe I need to find a new method then :thud:

 

[no-body]

I have a strange somewhat off-topic story, but it's related. I've a friend of a friend who apparently tells her young son to touch himself when he's upset. I don't know details, because I heard it third-hand, but she sort of trained him to soothe himself in this manner from the time he was a baby. I think we're prudish in general as a society, but this seems like a strange soothing method to teach. For one, he won't be able to comfort himself in public like this, for another I'd think he could develop a kind of sexual addiction. At least, if she didn't teach him other self-soothing methods. It's one thing to assure kids that their body is pleasurable and touching is okay, but it seems unhealthy to constantly reinforce it as the main stress-reliever.

Very young kids touching themselves tends to be because they come from a household full of chaos and they are self soothing themselves. An adult telling you to touch yourself when you feel bad sounds like a chaotic home to me (chicken, egg?)

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So, is massaging/masturbating an infant necessarily child sexual abuse, regardless of the cultural context? That is, is it child sexual abuse if the local culture or society sees nothing wrong with it? What do you think?

I think it comes down to effect on the child.

If a child ends up maladjusted or psychologically scarred in some way because of it, I don't care whether it's a common practice in that culture; I'd consider it abuse.

 

[no-body]

If a child ends up maladjusted or psychologically scarred in some way because of it, I don't care whether it's a common practice in that culture; I'd consider it abuse.

It is said children who are too young to remember the abuse still have the same changes in their brains that those who remember do. It would be interesting to see more studies.

 

[Songbird]

Maybe I need to find a new method then :thud:

Naw, yer good.

 

[9Westy9]

Naw, yer good.

but the police told me to stop doing it. They said I'd be in big trouble next time

 

[ChristineES]

Maybe I am just too Americanized. I am not sure if it is sexual abuse but something about strikes me as wrong. Reading this thread is making me wonder if I am some kind of prude or something.

 

[9Westy9]

but seriously *puts on serious face*

I don't see how we can judge what is moral or immoral in relation to a different society. Especially if it doesn't directly affect our own society

 

[Songbird]

but the police told me to stop doing it. They said I'd be in big trouble next time

Oh, well then you may want to take up yoga or sumpin.

 

[Father Heathen]

but seriously *puts on serious face*

I don't see how we can judge what is moral or immoral in relation to a different society. Especially if it doesn't directly affect our own society

So human rights causes are a waste of time?

 

[9Westy9]

So human rights causes are a waste of time?

example?