Category: Statistics/Facts

Here at Saprea, one of the main reasons we protect children from sexual abuse is to set them up for success in the future. Sadly, childhood sexual abuse can have an impact throughout someone’s life. For example, the ACE Study shows that certain childhood experiences (including sexual abuse) increase the risk of things like alcoholism, depression, and poor academic achievement. Some information about the impact of abuse on the brain can help you understand how abuse can lead to a variety of negative results and why it’s important to get kids the help they deserve.

The Two-Part Brain

Our brains have lots of independent parts that need to work together in order to help us process our surroundings and have healthy, productive responses. Two of the most important parts of the brain are the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex. The limbic system is the survival part of our brain. It drives us toward safety by avoiding pain and seeking pleasure. These drives are powerful and occur mostly on a subconscious level. In contrast to the limbic system, the prefrontal cortex is the rational, conscious part of our brain where logical reasoning, abstract thinking, and behavior regulation occur.

Brain Development in Childhood

Starting in infancy, the brain is in an intense learning phase as we experience the world around us, and our brains continue to develop for many years. If trauma from sexual abuse occurs during childhood and teen years, the brain’s development can be hindered. Specifically, trauma can cause the limbic system to get stuck in perpetual survival mode and see the world as an unsafe place even after threats of danger fade. The instinctual limbic system will overpower the rational prefrontal cortex and make a child feel unsafe constantly, whether there’s something to be afraid of or not. In his book The Body Keeps the Score,* Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains that “trauma produces actual physiological changes, including a recalibration of the brain’s alarm system.” These feelings of danger and alarm can lead to many negative results for the child.

What You Can Do

First and foremost, work to protect your child from sexual abuse so that their brain can develop in healthy ways. Second, if sexual abuse has occurred, ensure that your child gets the support that they need. There are specific things you can do to help. Often a child will need to work with a therapist to recover from what has happened. Unfortunately, children won’t just recover from sexual abuse on their own. They’ll need help processing what has happened and developing healthy responses to their experiences and surroundings. Even if a child seems fine, you should still seek out professional help.

You play a key role in protecting your child from sexual abuse and helping them recover if anything has happened. We know that this responsibility can feel overwhelming, but focus on the power you possess to set your child up for success.

One of the most comprehensive studies about the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences is the ACE Study. This post will explain, briefly, what it is and how it can help you as a parent or caregiver to raise a more well-adjusted child.

From 1995 to 1997, Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recruited participants for a long-term study that has come to be known as the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. The study ended up using 17,337 participants.

What does the ACE Study measure?

The ACE Study asked people if they had experienced any of the following 10 things as a child:

Each of the above experiences that occurred would raise a person’s score. The higher the score, the more at risk a person is for the following, although this list is not exhaustive:

You can go to the CDC website for a more thorough look at the study and the risks associated with a high ACE score.

What Can We Learn From the ACE Study?

When you look at the first list, you can see that one thing might lead to another. If a child’s mother is abused, it raises the likelihood that the child will be abused as well in some form or another. Emotional neglect can lead to a child becoming the target of a perpetrator of sexual abuse. Household mental illness may mean that a child is physically neglected. It’s difficult to take one aspect of the ACE without tying it to another.

So what does that have to do with helping you prevent your child from being sexually abused?

The ACE Study shows us that there are things that will make your child more vulnerable to sexual abuse. As you are looking at your child’s potential ACE score, you can see the places where you need to put more focus and energy.

For example, if your recent divorce has left your child feeling emotionally neglected, you still have time to remedy that situation. Take a close look at yourself and be honest about what you can do to lower your child’s ACE score. The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make. Give your child the best chance you can to become a well-adjusted, high-functioning adult.

Sex trafficking is a part of child sexual abuse that is often overlooked by parents. It may seem like something that only occurs in other cities, states, or countries. It actually can, and does, occur everywhere. Information is the greatest shield against it though, so here are five facts about sex trafficking in the United States you may not know about, courtesy of our friends at Operation Underground Railroad (OUR):

Children can be made more or less vulnerable by the adults in their lives. If a child is loved, cared for, and taken care of, they are much less likely to get lured into sex trafficking. Educate yourself on the risks of sex trafficking in your area and do your part to protect the children you love from becoming a statistic.

While the risk of sexual abuse is relevant for all children, there are certain factors that may increase the risk of children being sexually abused. Understanding these risk factors will help keep you alert and strengthen your intuition and awareness as a parent.

Here are six factors that significantly increase the risks of child sexual abuse:

Understanding these factors and taking an active role in lowering the risk of sexual abuse for your children will lower the chances of your child ever being sexually abused. You as a parent or caretaker hold the greatest power of prevention.

When myths about child sexual abuse are accepted as truth, survivors may be more likely to stay silent.

In order to break the silence and lower the risk of sexual abuse, you need to know the truth about sexual abuse. Below are eight myths that we should all work to dispel:

Myth #1: Sexual Abuse Always Includes Physical Contact

Sexual abuse includes non-physical contact as well. Perpetrators may expose children to pornography or participate in acts of voyeurism. These can potentially have the same long-term effects on a child as physical sexual abuse.

Myth #2: Sexual Abuse Only Happens to Girls

Even though abuse of boys is not discussed as often, 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they are 18 years old. Your sons need your protection just like your daughters need it.

Myth #3: Stranger Danger is the Biggest Cause of Sexual Abuse

Many times, perpetrators are people we interact with on a regular basis. It has been reported that 90 percent of those who are abused knew their abuser. 60 percent are abused by a trusted family friend and 30 percent are abused by a family member. While stranger danger is a risk, it is by no means the biggest risk.

Myth #4: Sexual Abuse Only Occurs in White Vans or Dark Alleys

Sexual abuse can (and does) occur anywhere children are, including schools, churches, community centers, or at home. Sexual abuse can even take place online. This is why it is important to always be on alert and always have an ongoing dialogue about the risks of abuse with your children.

Myth #5: Sexual Abuse is Always Reported to Authorities

Due to the shame that accompanies this subject, many cases of sexual abuse go unreported. Fewer than 12% of cases are reported to the proper authorities. Much of this is due to the fact that perpetrators threaten harm in order to protect their abuse. Even worse, families often sweep it under the rug after the child comes forward, causing additional damage.

Myth #6: Sex Trafficking Doesn’t Happen in Your Community

Trafficking happens in every community. According to DoSomething.org, between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked in the U.S. each year. The average age a child enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12–14 years old. It doesn’t matter how big or small the city you live in is; trafficking is taking place within your community.

Myth #7: Survivors Always Become Abusers

It is reported that 30% of survivors of child sexual abuse will become perpetrators themselves. However, this risk is significantly reduced if the survivor receives help. For this reason, the stigma surrounding this important subject needs to disappear. Everyone needs to stand up and help children find the healing they need after abuse. It is possible to break the cycle.

Myth #8: Sexual Abuse Will Happen and I Can’t Do Anything to Stop It

Educated parents and caregivers can significantly reduce the likelihood of sexual abuse. Taking actions to stay informed about how to prevent, recognize, and respond to sexual abuse will help equip you with the tools you need to protect your children. Also, keeping an open dialogue with your children about healthy sexuality will help give your children the confidence they need to confide in you about this sensitive subject.