Sexual Abuse Prevention Information 2

harmful side effect either. On average, less than 10% of cases result in any significant symptomology lasting beyond two years. (Kendall-Tackett, Williams & Finkelhor, 1993; Brunold, 1964; Baker & Duncan, 1985) Other studies have found that only 3% (Landis, 1956) to 5% (Gagnon, 1965) of those who report such experiences have serious problems later on, and of these, only a small percentage attribute their ills to the earlier sexual experiences, as opposed to other aggravating family conditions. (Gagnon, 1965) One large meta-analysis reviewed the data from 15 studies and found sexual abuse to have less than a 1% (and statistically insignificant) adjustment variance on measures of welfare. (Rind et al., 1998) This echoed the same finding in another similar analysis. (Cohen, 1988; Wisniewski, 1990)

We don't mean to imply that some children won't endure some bad situations and be harmed through them, they certainly can. The good news is that few children experience the types of things that might be expected to lead to lasting harm, and of those that do, many are able to recover regardless. To put things in perspective, the common case of sexual abuse is, on average, far less hurtful and destructive to a child than divorce, verbal abuse, physical abuse, neglect, substance abuse within the family, having a depressed parent, disciplinary abuse or neglect, being raised in a single parent household, living below the poverty line, witnessing family conflict, domestic violence, or the impact of childhood obesity. (GCF, 2009)

Fact: Children routinely report being less troubled by such experiences than their parents and clinicians report them as being, indicating an adult¬-child disconnect where adult bias causes fears and beliefs that don't actually match the child's experiences. (Rind & Bauserman, 1993)

Fact: Inter-family abuse is by far the most violent type of abuse and the situation where force is most likely to be used. Most molestation outside the home is non-violent and generally mild, if for no other reason than that the adult must recruit the child's cooperation. So the fear of outsiders that parents have when it comes to sexual abuse is often misguided. Even if they do engage in something they shouldn't, such instances are likely to be forms of sexualized affection absent of aggression on account of the circumstances, and therefore, generally mild and rarely causing any lasting harm. Inter-family abuse, on the other hand, brings different dynamics to the table. Force, threats, and violence become more common, and the environment also tends to allow such destructive abuse over extended periods of time. It's always more convenient thinking about the danger as being "out there." Yet in most cases, the stuff that is most concerning strikes much closer to home, and often within it.

Prevalence
Accurate prevalence numbers can be difficult to put a finger on, and vary from study to study, yet it's safe to say this is a widespread human issue that will affect many children. Two large scale and widely cited studies revealed that between 28% (Gagnon, 1965) and 33% (Landis, 1956) of children will have a sexual encounter with an adult prior to the age of

13. Though these studies are relatively dated, they illustrate the widespread scope of this issue. Nothing about the human nature driving such numbers has changed in the last 50 years. A more recent meta-analysis of more than 50 separate studies found prevalence rates ranging from 5% to 71%, with a mean average of 14% for boys and 27% for girls. (Rind, Tromovitch & Bauserman, 1998) Here are some other facts and statistics related to prevalence:

Fact: True numbers are hard to come by, because even in anonymous surveys, people tend to grossly under-report socially stigmatizing or embarrassing behavior/experiences. Thus, actual prevalence is frequently understated by a factor of up to 3. (Hagerman, 2008; Barringer, 1993; Hallinan, 2009)

Fact: Some recent studies suggest a decline in prevalence rates, though many organizations remain skeptical of this. While tougher penalties and community awareness may have resulted in a small decline (and this is questionable), it's also likely that these same tactics have merely discouraged reporting, leading to a false drop in the statistics.

Fact: One study showed 13% rates of incest among a community sample. (Finkelhor, 1981)

In one study, one-fourth of the sample reported that their incest experiences occurred with both parents. (Symonds, Mendoza & Harrell, 1981)

Myth: There are only a few pedophiles or molesters out there. We can solve this problem through prison & tougher penalties.
Truth: 28% of kids are not molested because there are a few select individuals out there molesting hundreds or even thousands of children each, as some seem intent on believing. This is a widespread human issue, which all research shows is at least as common as same-sex attraction, putting the estimated number of pedophiles in the U.S. at 8 to 12 million. What's more, because of the ambiguous nature of the issue and the fact that many instances of sexual abuse occur within the family, most cases are never reported. (Nelson, 1981, found a reporting rate of 1%; Gagnon, 1965, found that 6% of cases were reported. Most estimates of actual reporting are well under 10%. Even when it comes to something such as rape among adults, as few as 12% of cases are reported; Kilpatrick, Edmunds & Seymour, 1992) For everyone person we catch, 20 more are born, created, or go undiscovered in the first place. This issue will never be solved or even remotely addressed through legal measures, and those pushing such avenues are wasting your tax dollars while diverting resources away from more productive resolutions.

Myth: Only men molest children.
Truth: Though a majority of sexual abuse cases involve men, women are by no means exempt from such tendencies. Studies indicate that females comprise at least 20% of sexual assaults against children. (ATSA, 1996) Our personal experience with pedophiles online tells us females likely comprise 15%-30% of molesters. Social prejudices distort this matter further. It's commonplace for many females or mothers to engage in ambiguous behav