CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Sexual Abuse at a Glance
Notes:

 

  • Sexual abuse is the least notified form of child abuse 
  • Most highly publicised
  • Least common form of substantiated harm for 2015-2016
  • Sexual abuse often also qualifies as physical and emotional abuse
  • Has more ‘shock factor’ than other forms of abuse
  • Is usually the motive behind horrific child abductions and murders
  • 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys are sexually abused 
  • Statistics on boys are affected by lack of reporting or disclosing
  • Less than one third of cases are reported to authorities

But like all kinds of abuse, sexual abuse is most often perpetrated by someone the child knows and trusts.

Information:

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Sexual abuse gets a lot of public attention even though it’s the type of abuse that’s least common in terms of notifications and substantiations. 

There is good reason for sexual abuse to attract a lot of community attention. It has more ‘shock factor’ for the community. Rarely would anyone openly defend or excuse sexual abuse offenders or be prepared to support them and help them remain in contact with victims. But a parent becoming frustrated and hitting their child, or being addicted to alcohol or drugs and having no money to pay for food, will usually obtain support and assistance to help ensure the child remains in the home and the abusive parents learn better ways of parenting. 

The motivators for sexual abuse are usually different – it doesn’t usually happen in a ‘moment of madness’ or as a misguided effort of discipline; it is done for the purpose of gratifying or satisfying the offender. It is usually calculated and premeditated.

In cases where the abuse is perpetrated by a stranger, we immediately think of horrific highly publicised child abductions and murders around the world. We know that sexual abuse is usually the motivation behind a child being abducted and murdered by a stranger.

Sexual abuse is different to other forms of abuse in that:

  • It is most likely to be perpetrated by adults who are not in a primary caregiver role (Mother or Father) but who are known to the victim and often also the family - such as a family friend, relative, teacher, tutor, coach, priest / minister, etc.
  • Males make up the vast majority of offenders but it’s likely that reporting rates are much lower for female offenders. In recent years there has been an increase in female offenders.
  • Victims may not show signs of disliking the abuse at the time, may be willing participants in the sexual acts, and may even seek out the attention of sexual abuse from offenders – it’s still abuse.

  1 in 4 girls

  1 in 7 boys