Event Details
Child Abuse Prevention Month: Recognizing Sexual Abuse in Kids
By: Dr. Kristin Condon, Psy.D.
The vast preponderance of sexual crimes against children goes unreported. As a result, even the statistics we have—already deeply concerning—underestimate the true scope. In the US, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused, and roughly 42 million people are survivors of sexual abuse.
This is an undoubtedly uncomfortable topic, but our silence comes at a cost. It prevents kids from coming forward to safe adults who can protect them, and it allows perpetrators to continue offending. A pedophile, on average, commits 117 sexual crimes in a lifetime.
90% of kids know their perpetrators, who use a process known as grooming to gradually build trust. Grooming involves granting attention, praise, and gifts or creating brief time alone with a child while working hard to endear parents’ trust. Grooming escalates into manipulation or threats to prevent kids from sounding alarms.
Key warning signs:
-Sudden fear around certain people/places, especially those new in your child's life;
-New/worsening sleep difficulties;
-Behavioral changes: increased withdrawal, outbursts, or agitation;
-Novel somatic symptoms;
-New patterns of over or under-eating;
-Academic decline;
-Pronounced distractibility or reduced motivation ;
-Mood fluctuations;
-Sensitivity to feeling misunderstood/out of control in seemingly innocuous situations.
Bottom line - you know your child best. Inquire about these distress signals with care, as a myriad of developmental stressors can underlie changes. Children may initially deny abuse—not because it didn’t happen, but because kids feel confused or scared about not being believed or facing retaliation. Keep dialogue open and supportive - sharing traumatic encounters takes time, and recounting unfolds piecemeal over time
Books can gently introduce conversations in safe, age-appropriate ways. Titles such as Some Parts Are Not for Sharing by J. Federico and It’s My Body by L. Freeman provide language and structure for discussions. Talking openly about body safety helps kids understand that these topics are tolerable, nameable, and believable in your family.
If you or your child have been abused, support is available. The RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 assistance in English and Spanish. Call 800-656-HOPE or text HOPE to 64673. Report abuse to the National Abuse Hotline at 800-4-A-CHILD or local law enforcement.