🇺🇸

Was it Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse (COCSA) if we were the same age (11) and I only said yes after being asked repeatedly because I felt bad for rejecting them?

Answer written by a PhD Prepared Mental Health Nurse

Thank you for asking this. If you feel that you were coerced into doing something you did not want to do, your feelings of distress and concern are entirely warranted.

In terms of the person's age at the time of the incident, it's essential to recognize that age does not absolve someone of responsibility for their actions, particularly when it involves harming another individual. Regardless of their age, engaging in sexual coersive behavior is never acceptable. 

What you choose to label your experience as is up to you. To learn more about abuse that can occur between children, see three related questions we have answered previously below.

1. Q & A ~ Child-on-child sexual abuse (COCSA): Can a victim be older than their perpetrator? ~ Our Wave Stories

2. Question | I experienced abuse by a family member as a child. He is five years older than me. It was clearly abusive in many ways: it was forceful, manipulative, and there was a power imbalance. I can’t judge him too hard because he might have been too young to be held responsible.  | Our Wave Dashboard

3. Q & A ~ In cases of child-on-child sexual abuse (COCSA), is it okay/normal to continue to be friends with the other child and have it be water under the bridge? ~ Our Wave Stories

What you choose to do with this information is also up to you. Whatever you decide, or however you choose to identify, prioritize your own well-being and remember that you deserve support, validation, and healing. You are not alone. 

  • Share to WhatsApp
  • Share to Facebook
  • Copy Link
  • Share to Twitter
  • Share to LinkedIn
  • Share to Reddit
  • Share to Pinterest
  • Share to Email

Just Checking...

Discard Message?

You have a comment in progress, are you sure you want to discard it?

Similar community content

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate

0

Members

0

Views

0

Reactions

0

Stories read

For immediate help, visit {{resource}}

Made with in Raleigh, NC

|

Read our Community Guidelines, Privacy Policy, and Terms

Post a Message

Share a message of support with the community.

We will send you an email as soon as your message is posted, as well as send helpful resources and support.

Please adhere to our Community Guidelines to help us keep Our Wave a safe space. All messages will be reviewed and identifying information removed before they are posted.

Ask a Question

Ask a question about survivorship or supporting survivors.

We will send you an email as soon as your question is answered, as well as send helpful resources and support.

How can we help?

Tell us why you are reporting this content. Our moderation team will review your report shortly.

Violence, hate, or exploitation

Threats, hateful language, or sexual coercion

Bullying or unwanted contact

Harassment, intimidation, or persistent unwanted messages

Scam, fraud, or impersonation

Deceptive requests or claiming to be someone else

False information

Misleading claims or deliberate disinformation

Log in

Enter the email you used to submit to Our Wave and we'll send you a magic link to access your profile.