CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE FEATURE FROM JOURNALIST COMMUNITY

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CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND PREVENTION
Child Sexual Abuse: Backgrounders

Most stories about child sexual abuse are breaking news: A popular coach is accused of molesting an athlete. Police announce the arrest of a dozen people caught in an online child pornography investigation.

So how do you move beyond reporting the basic facts of one case and tell more illuminating stories? Where can you find context and new story lines that will help your audience understand the risks – and what can be done to protect children?

Thanks to a grant from the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Journalism Center is producing new information to help. Sections will include background on child sexual abuse and prevention (below); the characteristics and mental health treatment of people who offend; policy, law enforcement and prosecution; advice for reporting stories with care; and Q&As with leading experts. Each section will feature a topic overview, story ideas, sources and resources.
This first backgrounder – covering the basics of child sexual abuse and prevention programs – is a starting point. It’s meant to help build your knowledge of child sexual abuse, which the American Medical Association has called a “silent epidemic.”
If you’d like to be alerted when new content is posted, e-mail us.

Child Sexual Abuse and Prevention
Child Sexual Abuse: Statistics and overview
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: An overview
Tips and Story Ideas
Additional Sources and Resources

Child Sexual Abuse: Statistics and overview

Child sexual abuse (CSA) includes many behaviors under a single theme. The CSA information and prevention service Stop It Now provides this definition:
“All sexual touching between an adult and a child is sexual abuse. Sexual touching between children can also be sexual abuse when there is a significant age difference (often defined as 3 or more years) between the children or if the children are very different developmentally or size-wise."
Abusive physical contact or touching includes:
-Touching a child's genitals or private parts for sexual purposes
-Making a child touch someone else's genitals or play sexual game
-Putting objects or body parts (like fingers, tongue or penis) inside the vagina, in -the mouth or in the anus of a child for sexual purposes
Non-contact sexual abuse includes:
-Showing pornography to a child
-Deliberately exposing an adult's genitals to a child
-Photographing a child in sexual poses
-Encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts
-Inappropriately watching a child undress or use the bathroom
Sexually abusive images of children and the Internet. Non-contact abuse also includes the serious and growing problem of people making and downloading sexual images of children on the Internet. To view sexually abusive images of children is to participate in the abuse of a child, and may cause someone to consider sexual interactions with children as acceptable.
Adults who abuse children typically try to build a connection with the child before initiating abuse; experts call the process “grooming.” They may also use emotional coercion or threats. (A later module will explore why people, including juveniles, offend. For information on adult abusers, see “The 'Nice Guy' Molester” by Dan Malone, a Fort Worth Weekly reporter who wrote for the center’s former The Children’s Beat magazine.)
Adults believe that CSA is widespread and possibly preventable. The ACE Study, an ongoing health effects study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente, asked more than 17,000 adult Kaiser network members about their “ACEs,” or adverse childhood experiences. Respondents – whom the researchers described as generally well educated and middle class – reported significant rates of CSA: 16 percent of men and 25 percent of women said they had experienced contact child sexual abuse.
In 2000, 49 percent of respondents in a national survey called CSA a “serious problem." The Enough Abuse campaign, funded by the CDC to test prevention strategies and a public awareness campaign in Massachusetts reported similar public attitudes. Further, 83 percent of respondents in their 2003 survey said that CSA is definitely or somewhat preventable, but only 27 percent of respondents felt “very confident” they could identify if a child was being abused.
Children who are sexually abused often experience other types of neglect and abuse. Detection is rare. Impact can be substantial. Researchers find it difficult to estimate how many children experience CSA. Among the challenges in data gathering: Surveys show that only a fraction of cases – 30 percent or fewer – are ever reported to authorities; states use different definitions of CSA; and states may assign CSA cases to their criminal systems, so they may not be counted in child welfare data. There’s rarely medical or physical evidence of the crimes. And no single behavior will suggest that a child has experienced of sexual abuse.
For more on the sources and limitations of CSA data, see this useful explainer from the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.
State child protection authorities substantiated more than 88,000 cases that involved CSA in 2006. About 9 percent of children identified for other maltreatment were also found to be sexually abused.
But in Vermont, for example, where every CSA case is remanded to the child welfare system, there were 342 substantiated CSA incidents in 2007, compared with 153 incidents of physical abuse and 57 incidents of emotional abuse or neglect.
Another source of CSA data is law enforcement – although it’s important to note that the Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey does not include victims under age 12. In 2001, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that approximately 225,500 sex crimes against children were reported to police in 18 states. A year earlier, the Bureau published a survey of child sexual assaults reported to law enforcement that found:
67 percent of all reported victims of sexual assault were juveniles (under age 18);
34 percent of victims were under age 12;
1 of every 7 victims was under age 6;
40 percent of those who victimized children under age 6 were also juveniles
(under age 18).
Other national data can be broken down by state. The CDC’s Healthy Youth survey reports the percentage of students who have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse. To find state data, choose "violence," then "forced to have sexual intercourse.”
The ACE Study continues to investigate a connection between adverse childhood experiences and health and social outcomes later in life. While many people are resilient, the researchers find that the more ACEs a child has, the greater likelihood that the adult years will be marked by problems such as re-victimization, serious disease and early death.
Overwhelmingly, a child is abused by someone she or he knows. Studies confirm that about half of abusers are acquaintances, and family members account for up to one third of cases. Strangers make up the smallest group of perpetrators, anywhere from 7 percent to 25 percent, depending on the research.* Survey data suggest that girls are much more likely to experience CSA than boys, though advocates warn that CSA may be even more undercounted among boys. Studies referenced by the Crimes Against Children Research Center found that girls were the victimized in at least 78 percent of reported cases.
*Note: The trend holds for victims of all ages: Nearly three-quarters of all sexual assaults are perpetrated by a non-stranger.

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: An overview

The prevention of child sexual abuse is a safety issue. Society protects children through a mix of laws, research-based guidelines and common sense protections – from car seat laws to standard vaccination schedules and childproof gun locks. Child sexual abuse is a safety issue, too, say those who work in the field – a form of violence from which children should be better protected.
Registries are one tool. In recent years, public policy has been strongly focused on keeping children safe by publicly identifying those charged with or convicted of various sexual offenses. While affirming the need to keep dangerous people away from children, CSA advocates point out several weaknesses of a registry centered approach to child protection. Most cases aren’t reported to authorities, so registries will never be comprehensive. Scanning a registry can make a parent feel as though she’s taken action, while active parenting provides the best protection from abuse. And mug shots can send the message that molesters look scary, while abusers rarely do. (Registries will be further examined in another module.)
Information can overcome the “yuck factor.” What’s needed, prevention advocates say, is comprehensive community education about the risks of CSA and strategies for protecting children. In surveys cited above, the public identified child sexual abuse as a serious social problem. Prevention workers admit that there is a “yuck factor” that makes it difficult to talk about CSA. But the problem is so widespread that people may be willing to learn. In Massachusetts’ Enough Abuse poll, 69 percent of respondents said they would participate in a prevention training program “to protect my own children” or because “it’s an important issue.”
CSA prevention information is meant to give adults the language and confidence to talk to their children about sex without trying to make them imagine unfathomable dangers. Educators agree that children should not be made responsible for protecting themselves – they are not prepared for that role, just as they’re not prepared to cross the street alone.
The child learns to properly name her body parts and understand boundaries – even if a molester calls abuse a “game.” Further, the child is assured that she can tell her parent anything – that the parent won’t get mad and the child will be believed and protected. That last point is especially important, educators say. If children lack that confidence, the abuser can paint a frightening picture that practically assures her silence.
Little money for CSA prevention. The biggest challenge in CSA prevention, say advocates, is that little money is available for the work. Because child welfare data may seriously undercount the percentage of children experiencing CSA, prevention dollars have to compete with higher profile needs, including the sexual assault of adults.
In 2002, the CDC issued its first grants around CSA prevention. Three-year grants were given to pilot Massachusetts’ Enough Abuse community prevention campaigns and two other projects. Minnesota’s Project Pathfinder received a grant to expand outreach and treatment for adults and juveniles who have abused children or believe they’re at risk of doing so. And in Georgia, Prevent Child Abuse created a public information campaign around CSA prevention.
Jetta Bernier, who led the Massachusetts pilot program, says that part of the challenge in getting funding for CSA prevention is that most federal money goes for scientific research, and it’s difficult to prove that campaigns change behavior and actively thwart abuse. Prevention educators cite anecdotes of children who were protected and potential offenders who got help, and the results of surveys that show people learned the facts, but none of those effects meet the scientific gold standard for impact, Bernier said. “There is some thoughtful, solid work being done” on prevention, she said. “We need support for promising practices.”
Bernier and others are hoping that social spending included in the federal stimulus package will include money for CSA prevention. Bernier’s three year grant from the CDC was extended to five years and the campaign was praised as “trailblazing” by Rodney Hammond, director of the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention. But no similar grants have been made available. While the three communities engaged in the pilot have continued to work on CSA prevention, Bernier has no funds to widely disseminate the model.
“We showed that there was hope and people in action,” she said. “People need to know there is something they can do.”

Tips and Story Ideas
(A later module will address sensitivity and ethical concerns in interviewing those who’ve experienced abuse.)
Is CSA prevention taught in your community?
Educators stress that prevention is adults’ responsibility, but where can they learn? Contact your state chapter of Prevent Child Abuse (see source list below) and other child protection organizations to see what’s available. The state sexual violence assault line may also have programs or leads.
Some schools also use a CSA prevention curriculum. Prevent Child Abuse-Vermont (see source list) has a SAFE-T curriculum for middle-schoolers because that’s where sexually abusive behaviors often begin; it also offers Care for Kids, a program for pre-K teachers and parents developed by a group in Canada. K-6 curriculum is also offered by nonprofits such as Child Help and Darkness to Light.
What if abuse has already occurred?
Child advocacy centers can be important resources. CACs are one-stop facilities for children who may be victims of maltreatment, where professionals from health fields, law enforcement and child protection can collaborate on case management. Find a list of state CACs here.
The CAC model has been evaluated by the Crimes Against Children Research Center.
Beware the economic downtown. Community-based nonprofits are having trouble finding funding – those working in CSA prevention may be especially vulnerable because they rarely have robust support. What is the funding situation in your community? Will child maltreatment – particularly CSA – be included in social service or law enforcement spending in your state’s stimulus package?
How do youth-serving organizations protect children from abuse? The sexual abuse scandal that shook the Catholic Church has played out among other youth-serving groups, too. As spring sports and camp season gets underway, examine what policies groups have in place to screen and train employees. The CDC published guidelines and advice on how to screen and train employees in a 2007 publication: “Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations.”
And don’t overlook the most vulnerable children. Advocates say that learning disabled and institutionalized children are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse because they’re so dependent on caretakers. How are those employees screened?
Deadline ahead: Is your state in compliance with sex offender registry requirements?
As of July 27, 2009, states and territories may face federal penalties for failing to implement Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (known as SORNA. DOJ guidelines here).
Some states and courts have raised objections to the Act, saying it puts an unfair financial burden on states. Is your state in compliance?

Additional Sources and Resources
Child Welfare Information Gateway; http://www.childwelfare.gov/
Among its services, this federal information resource provides links to state laws and statutes about child abuse and neglect. It also produces the report: “Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws.”
Crimes Against Children Research Center: Sexual Abuse;
http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/sexual-abuse
Center staff work to combat crimes against children through research and statistics. CCRC, based at the University of New Hampshire, is concerned with research about the nature of crimes including child abduction, homicide, rape, assault, and physical and sexual abuse as well as their impact.
Contact: David Finkelhor Ph.D., director, 603.862.2761 (New Hampshire);
david.finkelhor@unh.edu
Enough Abuse Campaign/Massachusetts Citizens for Children; http://www.enoughabuse.org
The campaign was developed as a statewide effort to eliminate child sexual abuse. The five-year CDC-funded pilot program focused on abuse prevention, especially within youth-serving organizations. Oregon has adopted the model and other states are considering it.
Contact: Jetta Bernier, executive director, 617.742.8555, Ext. 2 (Massachusetts); jetta@masskids.org
National Sexual Violence Resource Center; http://www.nsvrc.org
NSVRC offers information and resources on all aspects of sexual violence, including intervention and prevention strategies. The center is funded through a grant from the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention.
Contact: Jennifer Shomper, communications specialist, 877.739.3895 or 717.909.0710, Ext. 119 (Pennsylvania); jshomper@nsvrc.org
Prevent Child Abuse America; http://www.preventchildabuse.org/index.shtml
Since 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America has worked to prevent child abuse and neglect through prevention efforts and information campaigns. PCA chapters exist in every state and may have resources on local CSA prevention.
Contact: Ben Tanzer, director of strategic communications, 312.334.6823 (Chicago); btanzer@preventchildabuse.org
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont; http://www.pcavt.org
The chapter has a strong focus on CSA prevention, with educational programs for parents, daycare providers and other child-focused professionals. It also developed SAFE-T, a well-tested curriculum for middle school students. PCA-V has also provided training in at least 10 states and is in the planning stages of developing a K-6 curriculum.
Contact: Linda Johnson, executive director, 802.229.5724
Stop It Now!; http://stopitnow.org
The nonprofit seeks to prevent child sexual abuse by challenging abusers, adults at risk of abusing, and their friends and family, to learn the warning signs and seek help. Staff can connect journalists to community-based programs that reach out to adults who are concerned about their own or others’ sexualized behavior toward children.
Contact: Deborah Donovan Rice, executive director; 413.587.3500 (Massachusetts);
president@stopitnow.org

(Re-Edited:MUKTI MAJID,Editor/Publisher)