Download What You Need to Know About Child Sexual Abuse

What You Need to Know
About Child Sexual Abuse
Campus Crusade for Christ
Purpose of the
Presentation
As childcare workers, you need to understand:



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Child sexual abuse is a very real issue
Impact on our society is significant
Christian community is not immune
A few simple things can help protect the children
in your care
 A few simple things can help protect you from
false accusation
Information and Statistics collected from the Center for Sex Offender Management, Praesidium, Inc., the
International Mission Board, and Darkness2Light
FACT #1
True or False:
Most sexual assaults on children are committed by
strangers
 False: Most are committed by someone known to the
child or the child’s family
 Less than 10% of reported cases are perpetrated by
strangers
 Relatives, friends, baby-sitters, authority figures (i.e.
coaches, teachers) and daycare providers are more
likely than strangers to commit a sexual assault
FACT #2
True or False:
Most child sex offenders are male
 True: Some studies indicate that as high as
98% are male
 Recent studies show the number of female
sexual offenders on the rise
FACT #3
True or False:
1 in 10 girls and 1 in 15 boys will be the victim of
child sexual abuse by the age of 18
 False: 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be
victimized by sexual abuse before they are 18
years old
 It’s much more prevalent and widespread than
many realize!
FACT #4
True or False:
Kids don’t sexually abuse other kids
 False: Adolescents are responsible for a
significant number of child molestation cases
each year. Sometimes children who have been
abused repeat the behavior without realizing
what they’re doing. You must pay close
attention to any questionable interactions
between the kids in your care.
FACT #5
True or False:
Sexual offenders usually only abuse one child, one
time
 False: 70% of child sexual offenders have
between 1 and 9 victims
 At least 20% have 10-20 victims
 The incidence of repeat offenses is very high
Defining Child
Sexual Abuse
Characteristics
 Physical
Forcing or coercing a child into sexual activity
(inappropriate touching or intercourse) for the
gratification of the older person
 Non-contact
Exposure
Voyeurism
Child pornography
Devastating Impact on
Victimized Children
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
Fear, anxiety, depression, outbursts of anger,
hostility, inappropriate sexual behavior, and poor
self-esteem
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
Can lead to suicide, substance abuse, and difficulty
with close relationships
Devastating Impact on
Victimized Children
More Long-Term Effects
 Promiscuity: child victims exhibit long-term and more
frequent behavioral problems, particularly
inappropriate sexual behaviors

Female childhood rape victims are 3 times more
likely to become pregnant before age 18

60% of teen first pregnancies are preceded by
experiences of molestation, rape, or attempted
rape

75% of teenage prostitutes have been sexually
abused
Devastating Impact
on Victimized
Children
More Long-Term Effects
 Crime:
 Nearly 50% of women in prison cite
being abused as children
 More than 75% of serial rapists
report being sexually abused as
children
Keeping
Our Kids Safe
Pay Attention!
 Don’t rely on someone else to be concerned with
preventing potential abuse
 Know who is working around you, and what they are
supposed to be doing
 Approach people if you don’t think they belong in
the building or the area
 Approach people if you are not sure they are doing
what they should be doing
 Immediately report their presence and activity to
your supervisor
Keeping
Our Kids Safe
 Know & follow policies!


High risk areas: bathrooms, isolated parts of
playgrounds, empty rooms, areas with little traffic,
diaper-changing stations
Supervising the children in your care at all times
significantly lowers the risk of both abuse and other
safety risks
 Do not spend time alone with any child!
 Report any concerns you have about any child
immediately!
Protecting Yourself from
False Accusations
 Follow policies
 Don’t spend time alone with any child
 Don’t disclose too much personal information to
children
 Limit close physical contact
 Solicit help from those around you and from
your supervisors if you find yourself in
compromising situations
Conclusion
 Keeping yourself
and our children
safe requires
awareness and
diligence at all
times
 Questions?
Let’s protect our kids
and help them have a
GREAT TIME!