What is normal and Concerning Sexualised Behaviour
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2019 Developmentally normal sexualised behaviour
Normal Sexualised Behaviour?
- Sexual responses are present from birth
- A wide range of sexual behaviours are normal
- Sexual development is influenced by family, social experiences, peer group, culture, biological factors and sexual experiences
For example, the 8-12 year old age group is a time of significant development including sexual development.
- Curiosity about sexuality issues
- Puberty
- Increased peer contact
- Experimenting
- Acting out, showing off
The Service provides an initial assessment and intervention, if necessary, based on a continuum model of developmentally normal sexual behaviours.
1. Normal sexual exploration (in 5-12 year old children)
- Age appropriate exploration
- Sexual play – “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours”
- “Playing doctor” “playing house”
- Similar age and size, generally mixed gender, more often friends than “siblings”
- Excited, giggly, rarely feel shame or fear
- Children with special needs may develop at different rates
- Differing backgrounds/cultures may have different expectations
- Children explore each other’s bodies visually and involving touch, e.g. playing doctor, playing house. With guidance and good boundaries from safe role models children learn what behaviour is appropriate.
- Has an innocence and curiosity about the play
Sexual behaviours may include:
- Drawing genitals on human figures
- Asking questions about sexual differences, puberty, pregnancy
- Curiosity about nudity
- May want to touch genitals, breasts and buttocks of other same aged children
- Kissing familiar adults and children
- Erections
- Self soothing behaviour in private and for younger children may initially happen in public family setting however the child is responsive to being asked to stop.
- Rubbing genitals against objects
- Interest in breeding behaviour of animals
- Interested in sex words and swearing, dirty jokes and sexual media
2. Concerning sexualised behaviour
- Behaviour that appears to be outside the normal range
- Child appears to be preoccupied or obsessed by sexual behaviour
- Behaviour out of balance with peer group
- Sexual play is not mutual.
Sexual behaviours may include:
- Drawing genitals in disproportionate size to body
- Stares/sneaks to stare at nude persons
- Wants to compare genitals with much older or much younger children or adults
- Preoccupied with touching genitals, breasts, buttocks of other children (even when told not to)
- Attempts to engage in oral, anal/vaginal sex
- Excessive erections
- Inserts objects in own or others genital/rectum
- Touching genitals of animals
- Persistent masturbation, particularly in public
- Excessive interest and or preoccupation with sexual matters
3. Harmful sexual behaviour
- Harmful sexual behaviour is complex
- Behaviours go far beyond developmentally appropriate sexual exploration
- Persist over time
- Part of pattern rather than isolated events
- Unable to stop without help
- Impulsive, compulsive and aggressive
- Feel anger, anxiety and confusion
Sexual behaviours may include:
- Explicit sexual drawings
- Plays male or female roles in a sad, angry or aggressive manner, hates own/other sex
- Asks people to take off their clothes at times using force
- Demands to see genitals/breasts/buttocks of children and adults
- Forces other children into sexual touching
- Forced oral, anal or vaginal sex
- Sneaky sexual behaviour
- Coercion or force used when inserting objects into genitals/rectum of others
- Sexual behaviour with animals
- Persistent masturbation particularly in public
- Masturbates with objects
- Excessive interest and/or preoccupation with sexual matters
- Asks to watch sexually explicit TV, makes sexual sounds or imitates intercourse
Harmful Sexual Behaviour involves:
Force or Coercion:
- Threats
- Violence
- Bribery (money,treats)
- Trickery
Lack of consent:
- Compliance may not mean consent
- Consent implies full knowledge, understanding and choice
Inequalities:
- Age Differences
- Intellectual functioning
- Emotional development
- Knowledge/Life experiences
- Power and Authority
- Physical differences/size
