About Sexual Abuse

Young girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely than girls who are not abused to develop drug or alcohol abuse problems or psychiatric disorders in adulthood.

It's important to get help. Unfortunately, many children never tell and recognizing the signs or symptoms of sexual abuse can be difficult if not impossible since some children show no signs at all and others show signs that are non-specific and could indicate a number of other problems.

If a child does disclose, how a parent, school teacher, counselor, or other adult responds is extremely important and can make a big difference in a child's recovery and long-term outcome.

Why Children Don't Tell

There are many reasons that children often do not tell that they are being sexually abused. These include:

• Often younger children do not have the words to express what has happened to them. Sometimes this is a matter of they do not have the words to name their own body parts. Other times, they may not have any words for the actions they have experienced.
• Younger children may not be aware that what they have experienced is wrong.
• Abusers may threaten the child or threaten people that the child loves. An abuser might say something like "if you tell anyone, I'll kill your little sister."
• Children may care about their abusers, especially since the majority of abusers are known to the child.
• Children may not wish to get their abusers in trouble or may not wish to upset their parents.
• A child may feel responsible for the abuse he or she has suffered for a number of different reasons. Abusers are almost always very manipulative people. They may convince a child that the child has participated willingly or they may have given the child special gifts, favors, or attention that the child feels guilty about having accepted.
• An abuser may have engaged in a process of gradual desentization or "grooming" in which a child's defenses are worn down. This can increase a child's sense of guilt about participation.
• Often when children do tell, they tell only part of the story to test an adult's reaction or to work up their courage to tell the whole story.
• The child may believe that no one will believe them.
• The child may be depressed as a result of the abuse.
• The child may have "learned helplessness" from the abuse.
• The child may be obeying the directions of the abuser, especially if the child has been taught to follow the directions of adults.
• The child may lack the maturity to know how to handle the situation.

Possible Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

Many children who have been sexually abused exhibit no signs or symptoms at all! Many of the symptoms of child sexual abuse such as depression, sleep problems, or anxiety are also symptoms of many other possible problems. The lists below are not exhaustive. Some children may experience unusual symptoms. The symptoms below are simply some of the most common.

Behavioral Signs of Possible Sexual Abuse

• Sleep problems
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Delinquency
• Bed wetting (in children who previously did not have a problem with bed wetting)
• Academic failure
• Nightmares
• Unusual interest with sex
• Feeling their body is dirty
• Seductiveness
• Cutting
• Bulimia/anorexia
• Attachment disorder
• Unusual aggression
• Avoidance of some places or adults
• Attempts to be unattractive
• Children who are overly compliant, over-achieving

Behavioral Signs of Possible Online Sexual Exploitation:

• Hiding CD's or other electronic storage devices.
• Spending time online late at night
• Child quickly closes or changes the computer screen when an adult walks in the door
• Unusual credit card charges for "web sites"

Physical Signs of Possible Sexual Abuse

• Torn or stain underwear
• Pain on urination
• Pain or itching in genital area
• Is pregnant or has a sexually transmitted disease
• Swelling or redness in genital or rectal area
• Posession of unexplained gifts or money
Signs of intoxication after spending time with an adult

If you or Someone You Know Needs Help

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call 911. You can also make a report of suspected child abuse by calling the office of your local Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) or by calling the prevent child abuse hotline, toll-free: 1-800-CHILDREN (1-800-244-5373).

To Receive Help From Our Services

To receive help from one of our program services, simply call 770.532.6530 or fax a referral form to 770.532.7111.

All referrals should be sent to the Gainesville office. For fastest processing, fax referrals to 770.532.7111.

If you cannot fax in the form for some reason you may call in a referral: 770.532.6530 x 10. If you call to make a referral, you may have to leave a message and wait for a call back message from an intake specialist. When you receive a return call from the intake specialist, you will be asked for a detailed history so we can best serve you.

Child Sexual Abuse is an Epidemic

There are more people living in the United States who have survived child sexual abuse than there are cancer survivors, people living with Alzheimer's disease, MS, and Autism COMBINED.

Studies of the incidence of child sexual abuse shows that it occurs to 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys. It is widely believed that all studies under-report the occurrence of child sexual abuse because so many victims fail to disclose the crime because of shame or fear.

Sexual abuse is pervasive. It occurs in all types of communities, among all ethnic populations, and in all socio-economic strata.

The average age at which children are sexually abuse is 9 and kids are at greatest risk between the ages of 8 and 12. Children who are disabled or developmentally delayed are at greater risk.

Being socially isolated—having few friends—having absent or unavailable parents, or having parents with alcohol or drug problems puts children at greater risk. Children who have a parent who was sexually abused as a child are also at greater risk.

Sexual abuse is a crime of familiarity. Half of all children who are victims of child sexual abuse were offended in their own homes. 80-90% of the abusers are known to their victim.

To read more about the incidence of child sexual abuse, visit

Advocates for Youth Child Sexual Abuse Facts

Darkness to Light Statistics

Enough is Enough's Statistics on Internet Related Exploitation of Children

Reporting Abuse

The law does allow for you to report abuse anonymously. When you are reporting abuse, you are reporting a suspicion. You do not have to be certain of the accusation or charge--that is for the authorities to investigate and determine. It is important to report all child sexual abuse. The average number of sexual offenses a pedophile commits before being caught is believed to be more than 100. Stopping one pedophile means saving many victims.