Sexual abuse of children or young people involves any sexual activity with a child under the age of 16. This includes any act that involves the child in any activity for the sexual gratification of another person, whether or not it is claimed that the child either consented or assented.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or the production of indecent images or in watching sexual activities, using sexual language towards a child or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Childhood sexual abuse can also include Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). This is a form of child sexual abuse in which a person(s) of any age take advantage of a power imbalance to force or entice a child into engaging in sexual activity in return for something received by the child and/or those perpetrating or facilitating the abuse.

Childhood sexual abuse is hidden and secretive, and it often includes emotional and physical abuse. Children are never in a position to stop the abuse by themselves; they are never the ones with the power. It is never their fault. Sometimes children may be too afraid to tell anyone what is happening for fear of punishment, they may not have the language to speak about what is happening to them, or if they have been abused for as long as they can remember, they may not even know that what is happening is wrong or doesn't happen to everyone.

Children are never in a position to stop the abuse by themselves; they are never the ones with power. It is never their fault.