Learning the Facts
About ____ percent of girls and ____ percent of boys are sexually abused.
Approximately 25% of girls (1 in 4-5) and 15% of boys (1 in 6-7) are sexually abused before age 18.
After being sexually abused a child might have:
Nightmares Anger/Fights
Trouble in School Bad Memories
Not want to talk about it Can’t remember
Feel Jumpy Headaches/Stomach aches
All of these are reactions kids might have. Different kids have different reactions and sometimes they change over time. All of these are normal reactions to a bad experience.
Children are usually abused by strangers.
True or False
False. Abusers are almost always someone close to the child. (close friend or family member). Offenders often develop a relationship with the child months before beginning the abuse. The abuse typically start with smaller acts (for example, looking at private areas) and progresses to more invasive acts (for example, oral stimulation or intercourse).
Often sexual abuse occurs more than one time.
True or False
True. The abuse typically occurs more than once. Over time it may become more frequent. The average length of time abuse occurs is 4 years, although it can be over a much shorter or longer time period
Do most children tell an adult immediately after being abused?
There are lots of reasons. Children may be scared they will be in trouble, scared no one will believe them, or scared something bad will happen if they tell. Also, some children don’t tell because the abuser is someone they care about and they don’t want him to get in trouble or they don’t want there to be changes in the family.
What is sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse can be many different acts. Any sexual behavior between an adult and a child is considered sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse can include looking at or touching the child’s private areas, having the child look at or touch the adult’s private areas, masturbation with the child present, and forced intercourse (rape).
What feelings do kids have after being sexually abused?
Kids may feel many different feelings, even at the same time! Anger, Sadness, Scared, Confused….
If a girl is abused by a woman or a boy is abused by a man, does it mean that the child is gay?
No. The abuse is NEVER the child’s choice and it means nothing about the child’s sexual orientation.
Name one coping strategy when having uncomfortable feelings
Can sexual abuse feel good to a child’s body?
Yes, sometimes it does. Our bodies are biologically wired to respond certain ways sexually. For males, one response is an erection. This may occur even though the child does not want the abuse to happen. Although the body’s response can be very confusing to a child in an abuse situation, it is just the way our body is wired and is part of normal sexual development.