The Use of Play Therapy with Child Victims

Abstract

Over three million children in the United States are reported to state child protection services as alleged victims of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and neglect each year. Of these cases, approximately 903,000 are substantiated. Twelve percent of the substantiated cases involve child sexual abuse. This author provides an overview of the prevalence, risk factors, and symptomology of sexually abused children and critically examines the use of play therapy as an assessment and intervention tool.