Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse of children and youth is shrouded in secrecy, guilt and fear. Offenders use intimidation and threats to keep the child from telling, but the number one reason children and youth don't tell is that they are afraid they won't be believed. Though there is widespread under-reporting of child molestation by both male and female victims, males are much less likely to disclose.

FACT:  Sexual abuse was the primary reason cited in 10% of all child maltreatment investigations (137,573) made by Social Services Agencies in Canada in 1998 (Trocme, & Wolfe, 2001, p.3¹).

FACT:  38% of the above cases were substantiated (Trocme, & Wolfe, 2001, p.3²).

FACT:  At least 2 million children worldwide are affected by the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children. The average age at which children are initiated into CSEC is 13 or 14 years of age (Barnitz, 2001, pp. 597-610³).

FACT:  Clincial and anecdotal evidence suggests that the incidence of sex abuse among Canada's native peoples is as high as 80% (Kingsley & Mark, 2000⁴).

FACT:  Historical Canadian data on child sex abuse shows that approximately one-third of all substantiated cases had previously been reported as allegations of forms of abuse other than sexual (Thomlison et al., 1991⁵).

Sexual Abuse pages on this site:

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

Child abuse information pages on this site:

Abuse Headlines	History of Abuse
Sex Abuse Signs	Child Abuse Stats
Sex Abuse Effects	Emotional Abuse
Sex Abuse Stats	Emotional Abuse Types
Sex Abuse Victims	Emotional Abuse Signs
Male Victims	Emotional Abuse Effects
Female Victims	Bullying
Victims w/ Disability	Emotional Abuse Stats
Sex 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	Sex Abuse Defined
Abuse Prevention

References

Sex Abuse

1 & 2 Trocme, N., & Wolfe, D. (2001). Child maltreatment in Canada: Canadian incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect: Selected results. Ottawa: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Health Canada.

3 Barnitz, L. (2001). Effectively responding to the commercial exploitation of children: A comprehensive approach to prevention, protection and reintegration services. Child Welfare, 80(5), 597-610.

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

5 Thomlison, B., Stephens, M., Lines, W., Grinnell, R. & Krysik, J. (1991). Characteristics of Canadian male and female child sexual abuse victims. Journal of Child and Youth Care, Special Issue, 65-76.

Last revised August 4, 2007