When reading through the statistics provided, consider what these numbers mean in terms of human lives and the real children they represent.
The RAACE Foundation believes that informing the public of how widespread child sexual abuse is will inspire the courage to stop the ongoing victimization of our children.
Child sexual abuse is shockingly prevalent in our society. Below are just a few of a multitude of statistics indicating that child sexual abuse occurs in epidemic proportions in all communities. The statistics below apply to all children, even the ones you know.
A Silent Epidemic
• Over 30% of victims NEVER disclose the experience1
• Nearly 80% of victims will initially deny the abuse or be hesitant about disclosing2
• Approximately 75% of known cases are disclosed accidentally by the abused child2
Close to Home
• 30-40% are abused by a family member3
• In 90% of reported cases, the abuser is someone the child knows and trusts4
• Almost 50% are abused by someone outside the family whom they know and trust4
• 40% are abused by older or larger children whom they know5
• Only 10% are abused by strangers3
More Than You Think
• 1 in 3 girls are sexually abused before the age of 186
• 1 in 7 boys are sexually abused before the age of 186
• 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet7
• 39 million survivors of child sexual abuse exist in America today8
1 The Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls, Cathy Schoen, Karen Davis, Karen Scott
Collins et al., The Commonwealth Fund, The Commonwealth Fund, November 1997. 17 April 2008
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=221230
2 Sorensen, T., Snow, B.
How children tell: The process of disclosure in child sexual abuse. Child Welfare League of America,
70, 3-15. From “PANdora’s Box: The Secrecy of Child Sexual Abuse.” (1991). 17 April 2008
http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm
3 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families.
“Child Maltreatment 2006.” (3 April 2008). 17 April 2008
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm06/table3_19.htm
4 Greenfeld, Lawrence A.
Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics: Child Victimizers:
Violent Offenders and Their Victims. NCJ-153258: March 1996. 17 April 2008
http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/CVVOATV.PDF
5 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
6 Briere, J., Eliot, D.M.
Prevalence and Psychological Sequence of Self-Reported Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse in
General Population: Child Abuse and Neglect, 2003, 27 10. 21 April 2008
http://www.cac-kent.org/pdfs/Child_Sexual_Abuse_Statistics.pdf
7 Finkelhor, David, Mitchell, Kimberly J., and Janis Wolak.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: Crimes Against Children Research Center. Online
Victimization: A Report on the Nation’s Youth. (June 2000). 17 April 2008
http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/jvq/CV38.pdf
8 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
