FACTS ABOUT CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE

The statistics:

• 33% of girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 16% of boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.
• One in three sexual assault victims is under the age of 12. 43% of those are 6 and younger, 34% are 7 to 11.
• 61% of female sexual assault victims are under 18.
• 83% of sexually abused boys are under age 12; 26% are under age 6.
• In most cases, the child knew the sex offender. With girls, 29% were relatives and 60% were acquaintances. With boys, 16% were relatives and 44% were acquaintances.
• Physical force was not used in two-thirds of incestuous abuse.
• For 60% of "sexually active" girls under the age of 14, their only sexual experience has been a sexual assault.
• Children who grow up in a family where there is domestic violence are 8 times more likely to be sexually abused within that family.
• 90 to 95% of all sexual abuse cases are never reported to the police.
• Sexual abuse accounts for 13% of substantiated cases reported to local Departments of Social Services.
• Fabricated sexual abuse reports constitute 1 to 4% of reported cases. Of this, 75% of reports are by adults and 25% are by children.

Just a few of the consequences:

• 68% of incest survivors are adult victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault by a non-relative at some point in their lives.
• Women who reported childhood sexual assault were three times more likely to become pregnant before age 18.
• 70 to 80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive use of drugs and alcohol.
• 27% of women suffering from bulimia were sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.