Sexual abuse: According to WHO, Sexual abuse is inappropriate sexual behavior with a child. It includes fondling a child's genitals, making the child fondle the adult's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism and sexual exploitation. To be considered ‘child abuse', these acts have to be committed by a person responsible for the care of a child (for example a baby-sitter, a parent, or a daycare provider), or related to the child. If a stranger commits these acts, it would be considered sexual assault and handled solely by the police and criminal courts. Kempe (1978:127) defines child abuse as “the involvement of dependent and immature children in sexual activities they do not fully comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent”. The Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, defines child sexual abuse as interaction between a child (under age of 18 for girls and 16 for boys) and an adult (who is significantly older than the victim and in position of power and control over the child, or may even be an acquaintance or an known person) in which the child is being used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or the other person”. There are some behavioural indicators too of sexual abuse. The sexually abused child may appear withdrawn or retarded, may have poor peer relationships, may be unwilling to participate in activities, may indulge in delinquent behavior, may run away, or may display bizarre or unusual sexual knowledge.

According to the national report on child abuse by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2007, 53.22% children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual abuse. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Delhi reported the highest percentage of sexual abuse among both boys and girls. 21.90% child respondents reported facing severe forms of sexual abuse and 50.76% other forms of sexual abuse. Out of the child respondents, 5.69% reported being sexually assaulted. Children in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi reported the highest incidence of sexual assault. Children on street, children at work and children in institutional care reported the highest incidence of sexual assault. 7. 50% abuses are persons known to the child or in a position of trust and responsibility. Most children did not report the matter to anyone.