The challenge of Defining Child Sexual Abuse in the Developing Child Protection System in China

China is in the process of developing a comprehensive child protection system, including processes for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse (CSA). Underpinning the new system are changes in the legal provisions dealing with different aspects of CSA. A clear definition of CSA is important for developing effective policies and processes for responding to different types of sexual abuse. Drawing on legal documents, media reports and a review of empirical research on the prevalence and incidence of CSA in China, the article discusses the components of a comprehensive definition of CSA, including the nature of the incident, the characteristics of the abuser and victim and the context in which abuse takes place. The definition has to be sensitive to the legal and cultural history and context of China. The article compares the legal definition with definitions used by epidemiologists and other researchers, and then discusses the continuing gaps and challenges for the emerging system to fully protect children subject to CSA. These include the gendered nature of some provisions, challenges in defining “child” in the context of CSA and addressing the issue of “informed consent” in research and legislation. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.