FACTS & STATISTICS

Recognizing the enormity of the challenges our society faces, Camp Cedar Illinois Inc. is dedicated to making a lasting impact through both camp weekend, and also spreading awareness throughout the community.

WHAT IS CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE?

Child sexual abuse can include:

Any sexual act between an adult and a minor, or between two minors, when one exerts power over the other.
Forcing, coercing, or persuading a child to engage in any type of sexual act.
Non-contact acts such as exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, voyeurism, and communicating in a sexual manner by phone or internet.

SOME STATISTICS...

There are over 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse in America. 3 million of them are children.
1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18.
1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.
Every 9 minutes, child protective services substantiates, or finds evidence for, a claim of child sexual abuse.
Children are most vulnerable to Child Sexual Abuse between the ages of 7 and 13.
The effects of child sexual abuse can be long-lasting and affect the child's mental health.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CAN LEAD TO A NUMBER OF ISSUES INCLUDING:

Low self-esteem
PTSD
3X more likely to develop depressive disorders as adults
Suicidal tendencies
A feeling of worthlessness
Substance abuse
2x more likely to run away from home
Children who had an experience of rape or attempted rape in their adolescent years are 13 times more likely to experience rape or attempted rape in their first year of college

STATISTICS ON PERPETRATORS

Among the cases of child sexual abuse reported to law enforcement:

59% are acquaintances
34% are family members
7% are strangers

90% of child sexual abuse survivors were abused by someone they know and trust.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. The 17 Lures Predators May Use to Exploit Children, www.ortv.org/Charter/17_lures_predators_may_use.htm.
2. Dawson, Erika, et al. “What You Can Do to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse.” Faithful Moms, 15 Apr. 2020, faithfulmoms.org/prevent-child-sexual-abuse/.
3. “How Can I Protect My Child From Sexual Assault?” RAINN, www.rainn.org/articles/how-can-i-protect-my-child-sexual-assault.
4. Lindsey Holcomb Saturday, 6 January 18, et al. “9 Ways to Protect Your Children from Sexual Abuse.” Core Christianity, 6 Jan. 2018, corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/9-ways-to-protect-your-children-from-sexual-abuse/.
5. Natasha Daniels is a mother of three and a clinical social worker who practices at Hill Child Counseling in Chandler, Arizona. She specializes in treating toddlers and blogs about parenting toddlers at Anxious Toddlers. “10 Ways to Teach Your Child the Skills to Prevent Sexual Abuse.” Child Mind Institute, 22 July 2020, childmind.org/article/10-ways-to-teach-your-child-the-skills-to-prevent-sexual-abuse/.
6. Reju, Dr. Deepak, et al. “12 Best Practices for Protecting against Child Sexual Abuse in Church.” CareLeader, 1 Dec. 2017, www.careleader.org/preventing-child-abuse-church/.
7. TodayShow. “7 Things Parents Should Do to Protect Kids from Child Sexual Abuse.” TODAY.com, 8 Mar. 2019, www.today.com/parents/7-ways-parents-can-protect-kids-child-sexual-abuse-t150029.