Child Sexual Abuse StatisticsThese child sexual abuse statistics for the US come from The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect. The numbers are widely underestimated because most cases aren't reported. So consider these facts in the context of underreporting and imagine what the numbers would be if every parent were aware of the abuse and every parent and professional reported. IncidenceIn 2003, there were 78,188 victims of sexual abuse in the U.S. (USDHHS, 2005). This is a rate of 1.2 per 1,000 American children (Douglas & Finklehor, 2005). In 2003 10% of all confirmed child abuse cases in the U.S. were sexual abuse cases. (USDHHS, 2005). Between 1992 and 2000 the annual number of substantiated sexual abuse cases dropped from 149,800 to 89,355, a 40% decline. Researchers believe a real decline, as opposed to changes in reporting trends or data collection, is responsible for this drop (Finklehor & Jones, 2004). VictimsGirls are sexually abused three times more often than boys (Sedlak & Broadhurst, 1996). PerpetratorsMore than 90% are men (Douglas & Finklehor, 2005). But, sexual abuse by women may be underreported. About 50% of abusers are acquaintances or friends. About 25% - 33% of child sex abusers are family members and from 7% to 25% are strangers (Douglas & Finklehor, 2005). Please keep in mind that child sexual abuse statistics are loosely representative of the realities of child sexual abuse as abuse is underreported. References for Child Sexual Abuse StatisticsDouglas, E., M. & Finklehor, D. (2005, May). Childhood sexual abuse fact sheet. Retrieved March 1, 2006. Durham, NH:Crimes Against Children Research Center.Sedlak, A. J. & Broadhurst, D. D. (1996). Executive summary of the Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse andNeglect (NIS-3). Washington, DC: USDHHS, ACF, ACYF, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. Additional Child Sexual Abuse Statistics and FactsAdditional child sexual abuse statistics and facts:*the prevalence of child sexual abuse varied between 7-62% for girls and 4-30% for boys.[1] *child sexual abuse for boys ranged from 3% to 37%, and for girls from 8% to 71% with mean rates of 17% and 28% respectively.[2] *professionals failed to report about 40% of the child sexual abuse cases they encountered [3] *many cases were "identified solely by a physical complaint that was later diagnosed as a venereal disease...Only 43% of the children who were diagnosed with venereal disease made a verbal disclosure of sexual abuse during the initial interview."[4] *in US schools, according to the US Department of Education.[ 5], "nearly 9.6% of students are targets of educator sexual misconduct sometime during their school career." *male students were reported as targets of female educators in ranges from 23% to 44%.[6]In U.S. school settings same-sex (female and male) sexual misconduct against students by educators "ranges from 18-28% or reported cases, depending on the study"[7] *sex stereotyping, social denial, the minimization of male victimization, and the relative lack of research on the subject result in substantial underreporting of sexual abuse of boys.[8] *adult female to child female sexual abuse has been so taboo that it hasn’t really been studied. *students report higher levels of female perpetrators of abuse than adults.[9] *cultural denial of female child sexual abusers is fueled [10] by male beliefs that they should be “flattered or appreciative of sexual interest from a female"[11]and because the media, the legal system and other social institutions view female sexual abuse of males as "desirable".[12] Additional References for Child Sexual Abuse Statistics1. ^ Juliette D. G. Goldman and Usha, K. Padayachi, "Some Methodological Problems in Estimating Incidence and Prevalence in Child Sexual Abuse Research". Journal of Sex Research, Nov, 2000[1].2 ^ a b c d Rind, B., Tromovitch, Ph. & Bauserman, R. (1998). A Meta-analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples. Psychological Bulletin. 124(1), 22-53.3. ^ Sariola, H. & Uutela, A. (1996). The prevalence and context of incest abuse in Finland. Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 20, Issue 9, September 1996, Pages 843-850.5 ^ pg7., In. Keuhnle, K., Assessing Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse, Professional Resources Press, Sarastota, FL, 19966 ^ a b Shakeshaft, C, "Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of the Literature", U.S. Department of Education, 20047 ^ Shakeshaft, C, "Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of the Literature", U.S. Department of Education, 2004, p26.8 ^ Watkins, B. & Bentovim, A. (1992). The sexual abuse of male children and adolescents: a review of current research. Journal of Clinical Psychology & Psychiatry, 33(10), 197-248 [2]9^ Shakeshaft, C, "Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of the Literature", U.S. Department of Education, 2004, p22.10 Denov, Myriam S. (2004) "Perspectives on Female Sex Offending: A Culture of Denial"11^ a b12^ Young, Cathy, "Double Standards: The Bias Against Male Victims of Sexual Abuse", 2002, ReasononlineOther Child Sex Abuse Pages on This SiteSigns of Child Sexual Abuse Child Sexual Abuse Prevention return from Child Sexual Abuse Statistics and Facts to Home
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