Responding to Children and Adolescents Who Have Been Sexually Abused

Sexual abuse, including sexual assault or rape, of children and adolescents is a major global public health problem, a violation of human rights, and has many health consequences in the short and long term.

This guideline aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for quality clinical care for children and adolescents who have, or may have, been subjected to sexual abuse, in order to mitigate the negative health consequences and improve their well-being. The objectives are to support health-care providers to provide quality, immediate and long-term clinical care and to apply ethical, human-rights-based and trauma-informed good practices in the provision of such care. Where relevant for provision of clinical care and where there is supporting evidence, sex-based differences and gender-based inequalities are flagged.