Child sexual abuse may happen differently than you think. Stereotypes and misconceptions about situations where abuse is likely to occur can cause parents to trust unwisely and by doing so put their children at risk. If you have even a slight doubt about a relationship between your child and a trusted individual, please do not discount the possibility of sexual abuse. Seek professional advice at 1-800-4-A-Child. It’s free and confidential.
Groups Effected
• All children are at risk
• Racial or ethnic trends do not exist in child sexual abuse 1
• Every socio-economic group experiences child sexual abuse (in nearly equal proportions) 5
• Geographically, rural, urban, and suburban areas all experience child sexual abuse 4
Those That Abuse
• Usually someone the child knows and trusts 2
• Rarely is an abuser a stranger that randomly victimizes children 1
• Sexual abuse is most often committed by family members and trusted friends and acquaintances 2
• Commonly, an abuser will develop a safe and comfortable relationship with the child before abuse begins
Children At Risk
• Ages 8-12 are the most vulnerable years for children 2
• In nearly 30% of child sexual abuse cases, the victim is younger than 8 3
• Children who feel vulnerable because of conflicts or problems in the home may be at greater risk 5
• Children that have strong open and honest communication with their parents are less likely to become
victims and more likely to report abuse immediately. 5
1 Abel, Gene G. and Nora Harlow.
The Stop Child Molestation Book. Xlibris, 2001. www.childmolestationprevention.org. 2007.
Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute. 14 April 2008
http://www.childmolestationprevention.org/pdfs/study.pdf
2 Snyder, Howard N. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
Bureau of Justice Statistics: Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement:
Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics. NCJ 182990: July 2000. 15 April 2008
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/saycrle.pdf
3 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
Child Maltreatment 2005 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2007).
15 April 2008 http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm05/index.htm
4 U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Crime in the United States, 2006. (September 2007). 15 April 2008
http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_02.html
5line-height:1.2; Finkelhor, David.
“Current Information on the Scope and Nature of Child Sexual Abuse.” Sexual Abuse of Children
Vol. 4 No. 2 (Summer/Fall 1994): 31-53. 15 April 2008
http://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=62&articleid=393
