Child Sexual Abuse Information Sheet Child sexual abuse occurs when a child is exploited sexually by another person. It may take many forms: exposure of sexual parts of the body, obscene phone calls, voyeurism, use of pornography, fondling, and oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse. Children are most commonly sexually abused by someone they know and trust. When these acts occur within a family the sexual abuse is called incest. There may be a single occurrence, but most likely the abuse will continue over a period of time, often for years. The abuse generally begins with acts such as fondling. The child is coerced and manipulated into remaining silent. Victims are terrified of revealing the abuse, due to confusion, guilt, and fear of being blamed, punished, or not believed. The vast majority of child perpetrators are teenage or adult males. Most are heterosexual men, many with children and a wife or girlfriend. Perpetrators come from all socio-economic levels, religions, and ethnic backgrounds. Victims/survivors of child sexual assault do not cause the abuse and are never to blame. The offender, not the victim, is responsible. If you know or suspect a child is being or has been sexually abused, you can call your local rape crisis program, child protective service agency, or the 24-hour National Child Abuse Hotline for assistance and referral: 1-800-422-4453. Here are the facts: 29% of child sexual assaults involving penetration occurred before the child reached the age of 11; 32% occurred between the ages of 11 and 17 (Rape In America: A Report to the Nation, National Victim Center, April, 1992). In 1992, 51% of female rape victims were juveniles under age 18. By comparison, females under 18 comprised only 25% of the 1992 U.S. female population (U.S. Department of Justice, Child Rape Victims, 1992). 29% of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are related to the victim, 60% are acquaintances, and 11% are strangers. (The Secret Trauma: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women, Diana E.H. Russell, New York, Basic Books Inc., 1986). Victimization studies suggest that anywhere from 12-28 % of all women and 3-16% of men are subjected to some form of sexual abuse in their childhood (When The Victim Is A Child, National Institute Of Justice, Office Of Justice Programs, 1992). In Wisconsin in 1995, 11,148 cases of child sexual abuse were reported. The majority of victims were female (74%) however reports of boys as victims of sexual abuse increase each year. (Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Annual Report, Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, 1996). 83% of child molesters are heterosexual; the remaining 17% are bisexual (Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender, Nicholas Groth, New York: Plenum Press, 1979). Juveniles aged 12-17 accounted for 18% of all rapes in 1991 (Juvenile Offenders and Victims: A National Report, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice, 1995). Violent child victimizers were substantially more likely than those with adult victims to have been physically or sexually abused as a child. (Child Victimizers: Violent Offenders and Their Victims, Bureau of Justice Statistics Executive Summary, 1996). In 1991, 40% of state prison inmates convicted of rape had raped a child (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1996). 43% of rapes and sexual assaults were committed in the victim's home in 1991 (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1996). Indicators of child sexual abuse: Physical signs may include: Bruises Cuts Irritation, pain, or injury to the genital area Vaginal or penile discharge Difficulty with urination Pregnancy Venereal disease in a young child Nightmares Behavioral signs may include: One child being treated in a significantly different way from the other children in the family Arriving early at school and leaving late Nervous, aggressive, hostile, or disruptive behavior toward adults. Running away Abuse of alcohol or drugs Sexual self-consciousness, provoc-ativeness, vulnerability to sexual approaches Comments may include: He fooled around with me My mother's boyfriend does things to me when she's not there I don't like to be alone with my father I'm afraid to go home tonight Will you help me go live with my aunt? Source: National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse   This information sheet was revised in 1997 by the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA). WCASA is a membership organization of sexual assault centers and other organizations and individuals throughout Wisconsin who are working to end sexual violence. For information sheets on additional topics or for membership information, contact WCASA, 123 E. Main St., Madison, WI 53703 (608) 257-1516. For more information about sexual assault or to receive support around a sexual assault experience, contact your local sexual assault program. This sheet may be reproduced.