Number Of Child Sex Abuse Victims On The Rise In Kane Co.

KANE COUNTY, IL – The number of young children becoming sex abuse victims in on the rise, Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said in a recent media briefing. Last year, he said the county investigated cases involving 185 victims younger than 6 years old compared to 125 in 2016 and 111 victims of that same age in 2015, according to the Kane County Chronicle. In many cases, the young teens are victimizing their very young sibling, McMahon said.

"We are seeing a marked increase in the number of very young children who are being sexually and physically abused in their home," McMahon said. "Something that is really alarming to me … is the increase in the number of child victims who are under the age of 6 years old who are becoming the target of sexualized aggressive behavior. This is not what historically has been described as exploration or curiosity."

Child Advocacy Center Director Deb Bree said that of the 180 juvenile offenders reported since 2015, one-third were under the age of 13 years old, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

Officials in Kane County believe access to sexualized television, social media's influence and online content, such as internet video streaming, are possible factors behind the rise in assaults, the Kane County Chronicle reports.

McMahon and Bree said they are looking into the stats. They are unsure if the higher numbers means a rise in the problem or if better reporting has resulted in the spike in cases, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

More via the Kane County Chronicle and the Aurora Beacon-News