Sexual Abuse Statistics

Sexual abuse statistics were extremely difficult to obtain until the 1970s when women began to talk about their childhood experiences.

Since that time, women in staggering numbers have sought help to deal with their childhood sexual abuse horrors. Men are only beginning to disclose that they too were victims of sexual abuse as children.

Families have been forced to confront the fact that people they know, love and trust have committed incestual acts.

Professionals are just beginning to understand the ramifications this childhood sexual abuse has on the victims.

As a society, we all pay dearly for the victimization of our children and youth; and I'm not just referring to the physical and mental health consequences of these young people. Sexual abuse is a significant component of the history behind:

            »  sex offenders
            »  substance abusers
            »  prisoners
            »  prostitutes
            »  runaways

Canadian Sexual Abuse Statistics:

  In one sexual abuse statistics study done by Social Services Agencies in Canada in 1998, sexual abuse was the primary reason cited in 10% of all child maltreatment investigations (135,573). 38% of these cases were substantiated (Trocme, Nico & Wolfe, David, 2001, p. 3 and 24¹).

  Another sexual abuse statistics study revealed that young women who had not participated in a school abuse prevention program in childhood were about twice as likely to have experienced child sexual abuse as those who had participated in a prevention program (Gibson & Leitenberg, 2000, pp.1115-1125²).

  Child and youth victims who were sexually assaulted by family members were on average 9 years old compared to 12 years old for victims of non-family members (Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2002³).

  A sexual abuse statistics study done on female prisoners showed that 80% were victims of childhood physical or sexual abuse (Conference on Child Victimization & Child Offending, 2000⁴).

  In 30% of 30 occurrences studies, victims of sexual abuse were members of stable, intact families (B.C. Institute Against Family Violence, 2001, p.3⁵).

  Cases of sexual abuse have a higher proportion of multiple abusers than do other abuses (Statistics Canada, 1994, p. 78⁶).

Some Aboriginal Sexual Abuse Statistics   75% of Aboriginal girls under the age of 18 were sexually abused; 75% of Aboriginal victims of sex crimes were females under 18 years of age; 50% were under 14 years of age; almost 25% were younger than 7 years (Alliance of Five Research Centres on Violence, 19997).   Clinical and anecdotal evidence suggests that the incidence of sexual abuse among Canada's native peoples is as high as 80% (Kingsley & Mark, 20008).   More than 7,000 lawsuits have been filed against the Canadian Federal Government, claiming sexual, physical and cultural abuse suffered at Residential Schools. Churches and school staff have been named as co-defendants (Woodard, 20009).

Sexual Abuse pages on this site:

Sexual Abuse	Sexual Abuse Victims
Sexual Abuse Definition	Male Victims
Sexual Abuse Signs	Female Victims
Sexual Abuse Effects	Victims with Disability
Sexual Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse Disclosures

Are you looking for more child abuse statistics and facts?
If so, check out these pages on this site:

Child Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse Definition
Physical Abuse Statistics	Sexual Abuse Effects
Child Neglect Statistics	Sexual Abuse Victims
Sexual Abuse Statistics	Male Victims
History of Abuse	Female Victims
Emotional Abuse Types	Victims with Disability
Emotional Abuse Signs	Sexual Abuse Disclosures
Emotional Abuse Effects	Male Sex Offenders
Bullying	Female Sex Offenders
Physical Abuse Signs	Child Sex Offenders
Abuse & Discipline	Adolescent Sex Offenders
Physical Abuse Effects	Incestuous Sex Offenders
Child Neglect	Internet Sex Offenders
Child Neglect Signs	Abuse Intervention
Child Neglect Effects	Abuse Prevention
Poverty & Child Neglect

Child abuse information pages on this site:

Abuse Headlines	History of Abuse
Sexual Abuse Signs	Child Abuse Stats
Sexual Abuse Effects	Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse Stats	Emotional Abuse Types
Sexual Abuse Victims	Emotional Abuse Signs
Male Victims	Emotional Abuse Effects
Female Victims	Bullying
Victims w/ Disability	Emotional Abuse Stats
Sexual Abuse Disclosures	Physical Abuse
Sex Offenders	Physical Abuse Signs
Male Sex Offenders	Abuse & Discipline
Female Sex Offenders	Physical Abuse Effects
Child Sex Offenders	Physical Abuse Stats
Adolescent Sex Offenders	Child Neglect
Incestuous Sex Offenders	Child Neglect Signs
Internet Sex Offenders	Child Neglect Effects
Child Abuse Law	Child Neglect Stats
Age of Majority	Poverty & Neglect
Duty to Report	Sexual Abuse
Abuse Intervention	Sexual Abuse Defined
Abuse Prevention

Sexual Abuse Statistics

1 Trocme, N., & Wolfe, D. (2001). Child maltreatment in Canada: Canadian incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect: Selected results. Ottawa: National Clearinghouse of Family Violence, Health Canada.

2 Gibson, L. & Leitenberg, H. (2000). Child sexual abuse prevention programs: Do they decrease the occurrence of child sexual abuse? Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(9), 1115-1125.

3 Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. (2002). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile 2002. Catalogue no. 85-224-XIE. Ottawa: Government of Canada.

4 Conference on Child Victimization & Child Offending. (2000). Working together for children: Protection and prevention data needs for timely intervention. Paper presented in Toronto, Ontario.

5 B.C. Institute Against Family Violence. (2001). Multiple victim child sexual abuse. Child Maltreatment, 7(3).

6 Statistics Canada. (1994). Family Violence in Canada. Ottawa: Government of Canada.

7 Alliance of Five Research Centres on Violence. (1999, December). Violence prevention and the girl child: Final report. Retrieved January, 2000, from http://www.unb.ca/departs/arts/CFVR/girl.html

8 Kingsley, C. & Mark, M. (2000). Sacred lives: Canadian Aboriginal children and youth speak out about sexual exploitation. Canada: Save the Children Canada.

9 Woodward, J. (2000, September 22). Lawsuits could close churches. The Calgary Herald.

Last revised May 31, 2007