Accurate statistics on the prevalence of child and adolescent sexual abuse are difficult to collect because of problems of underreporting and the lack of one definition of what constitutes such abuse. However, there is general agreement among mental health and child protection professionals that child sexual abuse is not uncommon and is a serious problem in the United States. A 2003 study, A Health Survey of Texans: A Focus on Sexual Assault, reported that 4% of males and 16% of females under the age of 17 have been sexually assaulted.

Child sexual abuse can take place within the family, by a parent, step-parent, sibling or other relative (incest); or outside the home, for example, by a friend, neighbor, child care person, teacher, or stranger. The reality is that your child is most at risk for sexual assault from someone he or she knows. The offender uses their position of trust to gain access to the child, then manipulates and tricks the child into sexual abuse. The process that an offender uses to befriend a child and slowly introduce sexual aspects to that "friendship" is called grooming.

When a child is being sexually abused they often become trapped between affection or loyalty for the abuser and the sense that the sexual activities are terribly wrong. If the child tries to break away from the sexual relationship, the abuser may threaten the child with violence or loss of love. When sexual abuse occurs within the family, the child may fear the anger, jealousy or shame of other family members, or be afraid the family will break up or be dishonored if the secret is told.

The majority of the perpetrators of child sexual abuse are persons known to the child, either as a relative, caretaker, teacher, neighbor, etc. Sexual abuse by strangers is not nearly as common as sexual abuse by family members. Research shows that men perpetrate most instances of sexual abuse. There are cases in which women are the offenders, but determining the exact number or percentage is difficult because sexual abuse of children by women is highly underreported. Despite a common myth, homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men. One cannot protect their children by only looking for people who fit a certain description or profile. Except for the fact that they like to have sex with children, child abusers look and act pretty much like everybody else.

When sexual abuse has occurred, a child can develop a variety of distressing feelings, thoughts and behaviors. The degree to which a child is impacted depends upon several variables. These include the 1) relationship between the victim and the offender - the more a child trusts and loves the offender, the more traumatic the event may become 2) the duration of the sexual abuse - children who have had to live with regular sexual abuse are more impacted, as their survival becomes connected with the abuse, 3) the type of sex play involved in the molestation - acts that cause physical injury such as sodomy and penetration are often less traumatic to a child. While counter intuitive, traumatic abuse is easier to understand as clearly wrong and not something the child wanted or brought on themselves. More ‘gentle’ abuse often leaves children struggling with feelings of guilt for enjoying some aspects of the abuse and is more difficult for a child to clearly label as wrong. 4) the child’s age and developmental level - younger children may not understand that what the offender did to them was harmful, 5) The reaction of the parents or other important people around the child - children need to know that their loved ones believe them and will reassure and protect them from future abuse.

Click the links below to get more information on Child Sexual Abuse:
Warning signs of child sexual abuse
Responding to child sexual abuse
Protecting children from child sexual abuse
Child abuse reporting requirements

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