FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE JOURNAL OF NURSING-FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE HEMSIRELIK DERGISI, sa.55, ss.57-62, 2005 (ESCI)
Human grows up and ripens with greatest attention, especially in childhood, he has to be protected, watched, supported and oriented. Although community's future is based on maintenance of mental and physical health of children and education of them who will be base for tomorrow's social structure, it is taken attention that child abuse is quite common. The traditional and social structure of Turkey cause not to talk about sexuality that hinder to be awared of sexual abuse and perceive it as a general important health problem. At this point of view, in Turkey, the laws which is related child abuse must be taken effect. We also have to provide the society to be conscious about this problem and provide interdisciplinary collaboration parallel to the scientific research. The nurse, as a member of health team which is interested in sexual child abuse is in a key point because of being the first member of team who is faced with child and family; at both protective and rehabilitation field. This situation attributes important responsibilities to the nurses. In this article, sexual child abuse and nurse's responsibilities are explained in a main line.