Children’s Sexual Cognition and Its Implications for Children’s Court Testimony in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

SynopsisIncreasing publicity about court cases in which children appear as witnesses, particularly regarding child sexual abuse, has drawn attention to the reliability and accuracy of children giving evidence, especially if they appear to be the only witness in a case where they have been sexually abused by adults. This paper reviews the incidence and age range of child sexual abuse and the range of basic cognitive task demands required of them in giving believable court evidence. These are identified as knowledge of adult male and female sexuality, adult and children’s genitalia of both sexes, sexual intercourse, and an adequate sexual vocabulary. A review of the limited research available indicates specific child abuse preventive programs to be inadequate. Given a necessary basis of sex education in families and schools it is posited that even young children can master the cognitive tasks necessary to be reliable witnesses.