Child sexuality

Sexual behaviors in children are common and may range from normal and developmentally appropriate to abusive.^[1] These behaviors may include self-stimulation, interest in sex, curiosity towards sex and the opposite gender, exhibitionism (the display of one's body to another child or an adult), voyeurism (attempts at seeing the body of another child or an adult), gender role behaviors^[2] and engagement in interpersonal sexual acts.

More than 50% of children will engage in a form of sexual behavior before the age of 13, including sexual experiences with other children.^[1] These experiences can include fondling, interpersonal genital exploration and masturbation, while intrusive contact (digital penetration, oral or genital contact, etc) are more rare.^[3]