Myths and Facts of Child Sexual Abuse

Myth: Sexual abuse only happens to girls
Fact: One in three girls and one in five to seven boys will be sexually abused before age 18
(National Coalition against Sexual Assault)

Myth: Strangers are more dangerous to children
Fact: 95% of all victims know their perpetrator
(Connections Child Abuse Statistics)

Myth: Most rapes occur to adults
Fact: 60% of rape victims report being raped prior to age 18
29.3% report being raped before age 11
32.2% report being raped between ages 11 and 17
(National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center)

Myth: Children who are victims will usually tell someone, especially their mother
Fact: Children don’t always tell or not right away
Only 1 in 10 children tell
42% of women and 33% of men never disclose to anyone
(Prevent Child Abuse N.Y.)

Myth: Perpetrators usually pick out one child to abuse
Fact: Most perpetrators don’t molest only one child if they are not reported and stopped.
70% of child sex offenders had between 1 and 9 victims
23% had 10-40
An average serial child molester has between 360-380 victims in his/her lifetime
(National Coalition against Sexual Assault)

Myth: Children who have been victims of sexual assault always hate the perpetrator
Fact: It is common for children to like and trust the perpetrator. They may like the perpetrator, however they do not like the behavior.

Myth: Children are partially responsible for sexual contact with adults. Telling the offender to stop is all tha is necessary. If the child didn’t want it to occur they could say stop.
Fact: Children are often tricked or bribed into the sexual act. Children are never responsible.

Myth: Only men sexually abuse children
Fact: Women constitute 10% of all sexual offenses.
(Crime Library)