A Few Abuse Statistics of the "Monogamous" Culture

In 1999, the McCreary Adolescent Health Survey II* found that:

* 35% of girls and 16% of boys between grades 7 - 12 had been sexually and/or physically abused
* Among girls surveyed, 17-year-olds experienced the highest rate of sexual abuse at 20%


University of Victoria's Sexual Assault Centre*** posts the following childhood sexual abuse statistics:

* 1 in 3 females and 1 in 6 males in Canada experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18.
* 80% of all child abusers are the father, foster father, stepfather or another relative or close family friend of the victim.
* Incestuous relationships last 7 years on average
* 75% of mothers are not aware of the incest in their family
* 60-80% of offenders in a study of imprisoned rapists had been molested as children
* 80% of prostitutes and juvenile delinquents, in another study, were sexually abused as children.


In their 2001 report on Family Violence in Canada**, The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics found that family members, including relatives, constituted the vast majority (93%) of alleged perpetrators.

Another statistical study conducted in 2001 by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics**** found that:

* among family assaults parents were the perpetrators in 56% of physical assaults against youths and 43% of sexual assaults against youth victims 12 to 17 years of age;
* siblings were responsible for approximately 25% of physical and 26% of sexual assaults in the family that were perpetrated against youth
* extended family members committed 8% of physical, and 28% of sexual assaults against youth

http://www.safekidsbc.ca/statistics.htm



Families have been forced to confront the fact that people they know, love and trust have committed incestual acts.

Professionals are just beginning to understand the ramifications this childhood sexual abuse has on the victims.

As a society, we all pay dearly for the victimization of our children and youth; and I'm not just referring to the physical and mental health consequences of these young people. Sexual abuse is a significant component of the history behind:

» sex offenders
» substance abusers
» prisoners
» prostitutes
» runaways

http://www.child-abuse-effects.com/sexual-abuse-statistics.html

Consequences – Individual

* Child victims of sexual abuse have been found to display a wide range of symptomology, such as: low self-esteem, guilt, self blame, social withdrawal, marital and family problems, depression, somatic complaints, difficulties with sexuality, eroticized behaviour and irrational fears.
Source: C. Cahill, S. Llewelyn & C. Pearson (1991). Longterm Effects of Sexual Abuse Which Occurred in Childhood: Review. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 30: 117-130
* There has been retrospective correlation of psychiatric disorders in adulthood with unwanted childhood sexual experiences.
Source: R.L. Palmer, D.A. Chaloner &R. Oppenheimer (1992). Childhood Sexual Experiences with Adults Reported by Female Psychiatric Outpatients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 160: 261-5.
* The long-term consequences of childhood sexual experiences with adults have been demonstrated to include, anxiety, deliberate self-harm, depression, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, eating disorders, poor self-esteem, prostitution, and sexual dysfunction.
Source: R.L. Palmer, D.A. Chaloner &R. Oppenheimer (1992). Childhood Sexual Experiences with Adults Reported by Female Psychiatric Outpatients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 160: 261-5.
* Women who reported sexual abuse histories were more likely to report suicidal ideation at the time of hospitalization and a history of multiple suicide attempts.
Source: Preliminary Report on Childhood Sexual Abuse, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicide Attempts Among Middle-Aged and Older Depressed. Nancy Talbot, Paul Duberstein, Christopher Cox, Diane Denning, Yeates Conwell. Accepted April 8, 2003. From the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

http://www.littlewarriors.ca/about_sexual_abuse/statistics.html