Lutheran Family Services - Parents United of the Midlands

1. Four out of five cases of child sexual abuse occur by someone known to the child. Statistically, 80% to 85% of the child sexual abuse in the United States is perpetrated by a familiar individual to the victim. The perpetrator is often related to the child. Less than 20% of abusers are strangers. ( Source 1 )
		Offenders
Victim age	Total	Family member	Acquaintance	Stranger
All victims	100.0%	26.7%	59.6%	13.8%
Juveniles	100.0%	34.2%	58.7%	7.0%
0 to 5	100.0	48.6	48.3	3.1
6 to 11	100.0	42.4	52.9	4.7
12 to 17	100.0	24.3	66.0	9.8
Adults	100.0%	11.5%	61.1%	27.3%
18 to 24	100.0	9.8	66.5	23.7
Above 24	100.0	12.8	57.1	30.1

2. A sex abuser's average age is 32. Any individual -- male or female -- can be a sexual abuser. (Source 1)
Number of victims under age 6 assaulted in a residence				Number of victims ages 12 to 17 assaulted in a residence
Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger	Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger
7 to 11	43	73	3	7 to 11	1	3	0
12 to 17	123	152	6	12 to 17	30	169	11
18 to 24	80	63	3	18 to 24	35	219	16
25 to 34	150	87	6	25 to 34	79	123	11
Over 34	133	77	2	Over 34	180	116	7
Number of victims under age 6 assaulted elsewhere				Number of victims ages 12 to 17 assaulted elsewhere
Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger	Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger
7 to 11	23	157	14	7 to 11	0	7	0
12 to 17	50	165	12	12 to 17	8	329	45
18 to 24	54	62	12	18 to 24	9	220	57
25 to 34	107	96	22	25 to 34	15	94	50
Over 34	80	114	34	Over 34	31	97	37
Number of victims ages 6 to 11 assaulted in a residence				Number of victims ages 18 or above assaulted in a residence
Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger	Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger
7 to 11	20	49	1	7 to 11	0	0	0
12 to 17	129	155	5	12 to 17	5	23	8
18 to 24	37	53	4	18 to 24	19	180	40
25 to 34	127	94	5	25 to 34	62	252	59
Over 34	167	145	7	Over 34	91	231	31
Number of victims ages 6 to 11 assaulted elsewhere				Number of victims ages 18 or above assaulted elsewhere
Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger	Offender age	Family	Acquaintance	Stranger
7 to 11	16	185	15	7 to 11	0	0	0
12 to 17	40	225	37	12 to 17	0	20	14
18 to 24	18	68	17	18 to 24	7	157	107
25 to 34	48	73	27	25 to 34	18	208	169
Over 34	66	123	41	Over 34	22	180	98

3. Sexual abuse cuts across all boundaries -- socioeconomic status, race, geographic area, gender, and educational level -- equally. (Source 2)

4. Nearly all of the offenders in sexual assaults reported to law enforcement were male (96%). Female offenders were most common in assaults against victims under age 6. For these youngest victims, 12% of offenders were females, compared with 6% for victims ages 6 through 12, and 3% for victims ages 12 through 17. Overall, 6% of the offenders who sexually assaulted juveniles were female, compared with just 1% of the female offenders who sexually assaulted adults. (Source 1 )

5. Incest is more common than most people dare to believe. Clinicians and researchers estimate that one million or more children under the age of 18 are currently involved in incestuous relationships. A national study in 1986 indicated that 35% of all children under age 18 had been sexually abused. (Source 1 )

About 2 out of 1000 children in the United States were confirmed by child protective service agencies as having experienced sexual assault in 2003 (DHHS 2005).
Among high school youth nationwide:
- About 9% of students reported that they had been forced to have sexual intercourse.
- Female students are more likely than male students to report sexual assault (11.9% vs. 6.1%).
- Overall, 12.3% of Black students, 10.4% of Hispanic students, and 7.3% of White students reported that they had been forced to have sexual intercourse (CDC 2004).
Among college students nationwide, between 20% and 25% of women reported experiencing completed or attempted rape (Fisher, Cullen, and Turner 2000).
Among adults nationwide:
- More than 300,000 women (0.3%) and over 90,000 men (0.1%) reported being raped in the previous 12 months.
- One in six women (17%) and one in thirty-three men (3%) reported experiencing an attempted or completed rape at some time in their lives.
- Rape usually occurs more than once. Among adults who report being raped, women experienced 2.9 rapes and men experienced 1.2 rapes in the previous year (Tjaden and Thoennes 2000).

6. It is important for children to receive information about sexual assault for their own protection. Inaccurate or no information is more damaging to children. (Source 4 )

Inform children that it is wrong for adults to engage children in sexual activity.
Stress to your child that he or she should feel comfortable telling you anything, especially if it involves another adult. If your child does not feel comfortable being completely honest with you, then together you should find another trusted adult your child can talk to in confidence.
Make an effort to know the people with whom your child is spending time.
Knowledge is power. This is especially true for protecting children from sexual assault. Teach your children about their bodies, give them the correct language to use when describing their private parts. Emphasize that those parts are private.
Make sure you know where each of your children is at all times.
Know your children's friends and be clear with your children about the places and homes they may visit. Make it a rule that your children check in with you when they arrive at or depart from a particular location and when there is a change in plans. You should also let them know when YOU are running late or if your plans have changed so that they can see the rule is for safety purposes and not being used to "check up" on them.
Never leave children unattended in an automobile, whether it is running or not. Children should never be left unsupervised or allowed to spend time alone, or with others, in automobiles, as the potential dangers to their safety outweigh any perceived convenience or "fun." Remind children NEVER to hitchhike, approach a car or engage in a conversation with anyone in a car who they do not know or trust, or go anywhere with anyone without getting your permission first.
Be involved in your children's activities. As an active participant, you will have a better opportunity to observe how the adults in charge interact with your children. If you are concerned about anyone's behavior, take it up with the sponsoring organization.
Listen to your children. Pay attention if they tell you that they do not want to be with someone or go somewhere. This may be an indication of more than a personality conflict or lack of interest in the activity or event.
Notice when someone shows one or all of your children a great deal of attention or begins giving them gifts. Take the time to talk to your children about this person and find out why the person is acting in this way.
Teach your children that they have the right to say NO to any unwelcome, uncomfortable, or confusing touch or actions by others. Teach them to tell you immediately if this happens. Reassure them that you are there to help and it is okay to tell you anything.
Be sensitive to any changes in your children's behavior or attitude. Encourage open communication and learn how to be an active listener. Look and listen to small cues and clues that something may be troubling your children, because children are not always comfortable disclosing disturbing events or feelings. This may be because they are concerned about your reaction to their problems. If your children do confide problems to you, strive to remain calm, non-critical, and nonjudgmental. Listen compassionately to their concern and work with them to get the help they need to resolve the problem.
Be sure to screen babysitters and caregivers. Many states now have public registries that allow parents to screen individuals for prior criminal records and sex offenses. Check references with other families who have used the caregiver or babysitter. Once you have chosen the caregiver, drop in unexpectedly to see how your children are doing. Ask your children how the experience with the caregiver was, and listen carefully to their responses.
Practice basic safety skills with your children. Make an outing to a mall or a park a "teachable" experience in which your children can practice checking with you, using pay phones, going to the restroom with a friend, and locating the adults who can help if they need assistance. Remember that allowing your children to wear clothing or carry items in public on which their name is displayed can bring about unwelcome attention from inappropriate people who may be looking for a way to start a conversation with your children.
Remember that there is no substitute for your attention and supervision. Being available and taking time to really know and listen to your children helps build feelings of safety and security.
Also remember that in the vast majority of cases (up to 90%), children are molested by someone they know. Your efforts at keeping your child safe must be informed by this fact and not focused exclusively on the danger that strangers may present.

7. For most victims, the abuse continues for years. In most cases, the offender will not stop until there is an intervention. (Source 3 )

8. While sexual abuse is incredibly damaging, victims are not "damaged goods." Healing is easiest when the intervention is immediate and appropriate therapy is provided. For adults who have repressed memories, the recovery process can be lengthy. However, all victims of abuse can become fully functioning, healthy children and adults. There is great hope for us all in facing and healing sexual abuse. (Source 1 )

Myths and Facts about Childhood Sexual Abuse