Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Issue
What Are The Different Types
of Sexual Abuse?
The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines child sexual abuse as: The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person in engaging in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct to produce a visual depiction of such conduct; or the rape, and in cases of a caretaker or interfamilial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other forms of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.
Sexual abuse can occur as either contact (hands-on molestation or sexual assault) or non-contact (producing child pornography or showing pornography to children).
Protecting your child from harm is a top priority for any parent. By understanding what constitutes abuse, you can take proactive steps to keep your child out of harm's way. Remember, knowledge is power when it comes to safeguarding your family.
Understanding The Full Scope of
The Sexual Abuse Problem
sexual abuse stats you need to know
95% of childhood sexual abuse is preventable through education.
1 in 3 girls is sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
This year, 400,000 children will be born who will be sexually abused without education and lasting change.
As many as 40% of sexually abused children are abused by older, more powerful children.
An estimated 50 million Americans are survivors of sexual abuse.
Close to 70% of reported sexual assaults are committed against children 17 years old and younger.
It is estimated that less than 40% of abused children ever disclose the abuse
90% of sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the victim knows.
Approximately 30% of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members.
There are approximately 500,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S.
70% of child sex offenders have between 1 and 9 victims, while 20% have between 10 and 40 victims.
1 in 5 children are sexually solicited online before the age of 18.
Understanding Abuser Tactics
Most abusers are known and trusted by their victims.
Many who commit sexual abuse serve in a trusted capacity - teachers, church leaders, coaches, family friends, and even family members.
Perpetrators of sexual abuse often begin by grooming their victims - testing the waters to identify children/families that are vulnerable to abuse.
Abusers will often begin with “playful” tactics - tickling, wrestling, etc. to see how the victim responds.
Perpetrators will purposely put victims in situations where either themselves or the victims are in a state of undress - swimming, water sports, athletic showers, etc.
Abusers will often endear themselves to victims through giving gifts and money and paying special attention to their targets.
Once the abuse has been perpetrated, abusers will often use fear and shame to guilt and terrorize their victims into staying quiet and not revealing or reporting the abuse.
Signs of Sexual Abuse in Children
New and inexplicable fear of specific people or places.
Regressing to thumb-sucking, bed-wedding, soiling clothes, etc., after previously growing beyond these behaviors.
New and non-age-appropriate sexual talk and behavior.
Pain, discoloration, rash, etc., on/near genitals.
Anger, rage, and acting out in new ways.
The child suddenly has gifts or money from an unknown source.
Anxiety and depression.
Sexual Abuse:
Myths vs. Facts
Myth: Sexual assault against children does not happen very often.
Fact: While accurate statistics are difficult to obtain due to a large percentage of abuse never being reported, it is estimated that as many as 500,000 children are sexually assaulted in the U.S. each year.
Myth: Sexual assault is usually committed by a stranger, and teaching children about “stranger danger” is the most important part of sexual abuse prevention.
Fact: 90% of abuse is committed by someone the victim already knows, and 30% of perpetrators are members of the victim’s own family.
Myth: Most sex offenders are creepy old men.
Fact: Childhood sexual abuse does not discriminate. Offenders of all ages, genders, and races commit it.
Myth: Sexual abuse only happens in poor communities.
Fact: Sexual abuse occurs in all socioeconomic classes. In fact, well-educated, well-dressed, well-spoken offenders can often become the worst offenders because they don’t fit the typical profile portrayed in modern media and culture.
Myth: It is harmful to teach children about sexual abuse and body safety.
Fact: Failing to teach children the appropriate names for body parts, what is appropriate and inappropriate to touch, and other fundamentals about sexual abuse prevention leave them susceptible to being abused.
Myth: Many children lie about being sexually abused.
Fact: Fale accusations of sexual abuse by children and teens are rare, occurring in less than 2% of all cases.
Myth: If a child has been abused, there will be physical evidence.
Fact: Physical/medical evidence of abuse is only found in about 5% of cases.
Myth: Sexual abuse only happens to girls.
Fact: While girls are abused about twice as often as boys, statistics show that 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old
Myth: Victims of sexual abuse frequently become abusers themselves.
Fact: While it is believed that around 30% of sexual abuse victims do commit abuse themselves, the key to preventing this from happening is for victims to experience healing from the trauma of their own abuse.
The Problem of Early Exposure
to Pornography
Now, more than ever, children and teens have access to an endless supply of online pornography, and protecting kids from this content is critically important. Here are some eye-opening facts and statistics about the damaging effects of exposure to pornography at an early age.
Close to 50% of children between the ages of 9 and 16 are regularly exposed to sexual content
93% of boys and 62% of girls report being exposed to pornography during adolescence
60% of children aged 10 and 11 in the U.S. have smartphones
66% of boys and 40% of girls report wanting to try sexual behaviors they’ve seen portrayed in the media
90% of sex addicts state that pornography played a key role in the development of their addiction
Frequent porn consumption has been linked to anxiety, depression, stress, and social problems
Porn has been proven to cause dissatisfaction with real-life relationships and romantic/sexual encounters
Exposure to pornography at a young age has been shown to increase a male’s desire to wield sexual power over women, including thoughts or acts of sexual violence
Prevention Resources
for Parents
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Our Prevent Magazine serves as a guide for parents to prevent sexual abuse. It covers topics such as recognizing patterns of sexual abuse, identifying types of predators, being aware of red flag offenses, understanding the symptoms of abuse, and learning how to prevent sexual abuse. Additionally, the magazine offers guidance on what to teach children in case they have already experienced sexual abuse.
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Shout Out. Get Out. Speak Out: Teaching Children Their Body Safety Superpowers is a three-part book series designed to educate children aged 4-7 about body safety. The trilogy uses age-appropriate language to help children understand their body "superpowers," recognize the difference between safe and unsafe touch, and encourage them to trust their internal alarm and speak up.
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Fortify is a magazine designed to educate teenage girls on body safety and prevention. The magazine teaches young women about consent, how to handle unwanted sexual advances, and how to establish safe boundaries. It also includes a guide for parents with similar content, written in a way that is easy to understand, to help parents engage with their teens on the topics covered in the magazine.
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Fortify is a guide designed to help teenage boys understand body safety. It teaches them about consent, how to deal with unwanted sexual advances, how to establish safe boundaries, and what to do when someone tries to pressure them into doing something they don't want to do. Fortify also comes with an accompanying parent guide that helps parents understand what their teen is learning and enables them to have meaningful conversations about the content.
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The Guide on Human Trafficking Prevention is a brief and informative guide that explains the definition of human trafficking, how it can manifest in your area, ways to recognize the signs of human trafficking, methods to safeguard your children and establish a secure environment, and practical strategies to combat human trafficking.
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A comprehensive guide that teaches the science behind the dangers of pornography. It includes vital statistics about youth and the effects of pornography, the links between pornography and sexual abuse, guidance on how to protect children from pornography and how to handle early exposure to pornography, and resources for dealing with pornography issues.
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Our Facts of Life series is designed to help parents have honest and open conversations with their children about their bodies. The accompanying workbook is appropriate for parents of newborns to teenagers, covering various topics related to sex education. We strongly encourage parents, educators, and homeschooling families to use this valuable resource as a guide to teach sex education topics that focus on godly values. You can buy the set together, or each book can be purchased individually.