In the South, a person's identity is a critical factor in determining who they are as a person and their role in society, much like in the novel Bastard out of Carolina. To understand a person's identity, Thompson and Walsh defined it as a “fluid process” rather than a person's “fixed” personality (380). Therefore, identity is self-based on the choices people make and what they go through. Identity also evolves as people mature while numerous factors influence a person's identity. It is through this novel that readers will understand how the effects of child sexual abuse force children to negatively alter their identity based on a traumatic experience. Child sexual abuse is defined as “the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully understand, is unable to give informed consent, or for which the child is not prepared from the perspective of development, or otherwise violating the laws or social taboos of society” (Ajduković, Sušac, and Rajter 470). In Bastard out of Carolina, Ruth Ann "Bone" Boatwright began experiencing child sexual abuse by her stepfather at the age of twelve, which forever changed aspects of her life. Coincidentally, through research it has been shown that young girls between the ages of 13 and 16 have been sexually abused by adult men they previously knew (Ajduković, Sušac, and Rajter 475). Even though it could be a family member, an acquaintance, or a friend, the feelings of betrayal remain the same. As stated by Collin-Vézina, Daigneault, and Hébert, experiencing abuse by an identifiable person does not only include the loss of trust in that person. person who has abused the relationship, but also includes other adults who may have been aware of the abuse and have not provided safety precautions to protect... middle of paper... the fact that they talk about sex they are so young and they don't know how to address their sexual needs and desires. For example, Bone had sexualized dreams in which he might rebel against Glen. She said: “I loved these fantasies, even though I was sure they were a terrible thing. They had to be, they were self-centered and made my body tremble. I was really special then." (113) Along with dreams, Bone and his younger sister Reese would perform sexual acts together, calling them "private games." However, Bone lost a part of her childhood when she was raped at the age of 12. She did not have a normal life and was forced to perform sexual acts with Glen. This was another influence that changed who he was as a whole. She did not become a carefree child. Bone had to grow up when she realized that she was not protected in her family.