Statistics/Facts
FACT: 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
FACT: 30-40% of victims are abused by a family member; 50% are abused by someone outside the family whom they know and trust. Therefore, only 10% are abused by strangers.
FACT: 1 in 5 children are sexually solicited while on the internet.
FACT: Family and acquaintance child sexual abuse perpetrators have reported that they look for specific characteristics in the children they choose to abuse.
- Perpetrators report that they look for passive, quiet, troubled, lonely children from single parent or broken homes (Budin & Johnson 1989).
- Perpetrators frequently seek out children who are particularly trusting (Conte et al., 1987) and work proactively to establish a trusting relationship before abusing them (Budin & Johnson, 1989; Conte, Wolfe, & Smith, 1989; Elliott et al., 1995; Warner-Kearney, 1987). Not infrequently, this extends to establishing a trusting relationship with the victim’s family as well (Elliott et al., 1995).
FACT: Research suggests that far fewer than 1/3 of child sexual abuse incidents are identified or reported. Of those identified by professionals, up to 25% of these are not reported. Police make arrests in about 29% of cases reported to them. More than 13% of sex offenses are not prosecuted.
FACT: Children who have been victims of sexual abuse exhibit long-term and more frequent behavioral problems, particularly inappropriate sexual behaviors.
FACT: More than 60% of pregnant teens have been sexually abused.
FACT: 20% of child abuse victims are under the age of 8.
