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Sexual abuse vs. molestation in Maryland What is the difference?

Written by
ruxandra
June 17th, 2016

A lot of people are confused about the differences between sexual assault and sexual molestation. In this article, you will learn to differentiate between the two and notice the warning signs. If you or your loved one were the victims of sexual abuse or molestation, contact a personal injury lawyer from Maryland to help you with your claim and bring the culprit to justice.

Sexual abuse vs. Molestation in Maryland

The NCANDS or National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System found in 2004-2005 that more than 9.3% of confirmed child neglect and ill-treatment cases also involved sexual assault.

In general, sexual abuse at a young age includes deviation of intercourse or sexual intercourse. This means that even if an offense does not respect the definition exactly, any wrongdoing that involves sexually touching a child or exploiting them without touching them is considered just as harmful and devastating to the well-being of the child. Any Annapolis injury lawyer will explain to you the dangers of sexual abuse and what evidence you need to prove the assault.

A Touching sexual offenses are considered:

  • Making a child touch the sexual organs of an adult
  • Fondling
  • Penetrating a child's anus or vagina (indifferent if with a penis or an object)

Non-touching sexual offenses are:

  • Indecent exposure or exhibitionism
  • Deliberating exposing a child to indecent exhibitionism or exposure
  • Exposing children to pornographic material
  • Exposing a child to the act of sexual intercourse deliberately
  • Masturbating in front of a child

If you think your child has suffered sexual abuse at a young age in Annapolis, you should contact an attorney to help with your claim. There are a lot of sexual abuse cases in MD, but not all of them are proven. Your Annapolis injury lawyer can help you bring all the evidence needed.

Molestation is limited to younger children, while sexual abuse could happen across all ages. The child's vagina or penis is too small for any physical penetration. As a result, molestation occurs when a child if forced to:

  • Perform oral sex
  • Be touched in an inappropriate manner
  • Watch an adult masturbate

Molestation is extremely dangerous and could affect your child their whole life. Your Annapolis injury attorney will support you in bringing them justice and receive the compensation needed to help your child overcome this unfortunate tragedy.

In a lot of sexual abuse cases in MD, the parents of the molested or abused child did not pay attention to the warning signs. It is crucial as a parent to be aware of your child's behavior and notice any small changes. Remain alerted with all the adults that are present in your children's life as some of them may target them for sexual reasons, especially the adults in power position (school, family friends, relatives). Children are less likely to report any of these persons abusing them and could go along with the abuse. If you think that your child has been molested or sexually abused, you can ask your Annapolis injury attorney to help you find out who is guilty of such horrific acts.

For more information about molestation and sexual molestation, you can contact the best personal injury lawyer in Maryland at (443) 569-3950 or by email: chris@annapolisaccidentattorney.com for a free consultation of your case.

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