CHILD SEX ABUSE

What is Child Abuse/Molestation?

Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or another child) in which the child is used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or an observer. A central characteristic of any abuse is domination of the child by the perpetrator through deception, force, or coercion into sexual activity. Children, due to their age, cannot give meaningful consent to sexual activity.

Child sexual abuse includes touching and non-touching behaviors. For instance, sexual assault comprises the intentional touching of a child’s genital area, groin, inner thighs, buttocks, or breasts, or the clothing covering them, or a perpetrator having a child touch these parts of the perpetrator’s body, for purposes of sexual arousal or gratification. Alternatively, sexual assault also incorporates non-touching conduct such as the intentional masturbation of the perpetrator’s genitals in the presence of the child. Physical force may or may not be used.

Sexual exploitation or child pornography often goes unknown by parents, and is also related to the growing number of juvenile runaways who have made their way to California. In many cases, the runaway makes an attractive target for adults who prey on troubled kids. Sexual exploitation includes not only prostitution but also use of children to pose or model for films, photos, drawings, paintings and other pictorial depictions which involve obscene sexual conduct. Our child molestation attorney will be sure justice is served for these atrocious acts and help ensure that any damage done by theperpetrator is compensated for.

WHO ARE THE VICTIMS OF CHILD MOLESTATION?

Children of all ages, races, ethnicities, cultures, and economic backgrounds are vulnerable to sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse occurs in rural, urban, and suburban areas. It affects both girls and boys in all kinds of neighborhoods and communities, and in countries around the world.

WHEN A CHILD IS SEXUALLY ABUSED AND MOLESTED, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

• The Abuser/Perpetrator, whether an adult or another child
• Adults who knew of the abuse and did nothing
• The Employer or Supervisor who negligently hired, supervised, or retained their abusive employee
• The School Teachers, Faculty, and Board who ignored the complaints
• The Church Official who suspected molestation but tried to cover it up
• The Caregiver who gave no care
• The Coach, Boy Scout, or Girl Scout Leader who took exploited their role

WHO ARE THE PERPETRATORS OF CHILD MOLESTATION? HOW PREVALENT IS CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Most children are abused by someone they know and trust. An estimated 60% of perpetrators of sexual abuse are known to the child but are not family members, e.g., family friends, babysitters, childcare providers, neighbors. Only 30% of perpetrators are family members, e.g., fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins. And just 10% of perpetrators are strangers to the child.

In most cases, the perpetrator is male regardless of whether the victim is a boy or girl. Heterosexual and gay men are equally likely to sexually abuse children. A perception that most perpetrators are gay men is a myth and harmful stereotype. Some perpetrators are female – It is estimated that women are the abusers in about 14% of cases reported among boys and 6% of cases reported among girls.

Not all perpetrators are adults – an estimated 23% of reported cases of child sexual abuse are perpetrated by individuals under the age of 18.

Other common characteristics of perpetrators include: a history of abuse (either physical or sexual); alcohol or drug abuse; little satisfaction with sexual relationships with adults; lack of control over their emotions; and mental illness in some cases.

HOW PREVALENT IS CHILD MOLESTATION?

Some CDC research has estimated that approximately 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18. Other governmental research has estimated that approximately 300,000 children are abused every year in the United States. However, accurate statistics on the prevalence of sexual abuse of children and adolescents are difficult to collect because it is vastly underreported and there are differing definitions of what constitutes sexual abuse.

Boys (and later, men) tend not to report their victimization, which may affect statistics. Some men even feel societal pressure to be proud of early sexual activity regardless of whether it was unwanted. Boys are more likely than girls to be abused outside of the family. Most mental health and child protection professionals agree that child sexual abuse is not uncommon and is a serious problem in the United States.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR CHILD MOLESTATION?

Research is still evolving around what risk factors signal child sexual abuse due to the difficulty involved in getting data. However, some general characteristics have been identified.

Older children tend to be at greater risk for sexual abuse. Girls tend to be at greater risk of sexual victimization than boys. However, boys are more likely to be victimized by a perpetrator outside the family than girls. Children with disabilities are at elevated risk of abuse, particularly, if the disability impairs their perceived credibility, e.g., blindness, deafness, and mental retardation.

Those with a prior history of sexual victimization are extremely likely to be re-victimized. Some research estimates an increased risk of over 1000%. Children living with only one biological parent at twice the risk of sexual victimization. Children living without both biological parents were at three times the risk of sexual victimization. Older children from father-only families were also at increased risk of sexual victimization compared to other children. Presence of a stepfather in the home doubled the risk of sexual victimization for girls.

SEEKING JUSTICE FOR CHILD MOLESTATION VICTIMS IN LOS ANGELES

The subject of child sexual abuse is extremely sensitive. Whether your child has been victimized by a sex predator, or you were the childhood victim of sex abuse, the trauma is understandably significant and long lasting. If you are looking for an advocate with the compassion and experience necessary to help you navigate through the court system and obtain meaningful compensation, your search is over.

Yedidsion Law Group is a prominent Los Angeles law firm specializing in assisting victims of all forms of sex abuse. Call us at (310) 277-4277 for a free consultation with an experienced child molestation attorney.