Link – 60% girls, 35% boys abused sexually in childhood: Survey

“”For a sexual abuse victim, getting family support is a must. It leaves the child mentally traumatised and can also cause severe depression for a lifetime. In the survey, we found that 20 per cent respondents reported abuse to parents but only about half of the parents enquired further into the matter,” said Dr Mundada. He said all respondents who were victims confessed that the abuser was known to them beforehand.”

This was a small survey done in India, and I’m not sure that we can extrapolate those percentages exactly, but it’s still startling. However, that’s not the part that I found most troublesome. The last line of that quote is the most troublesome.

He said all respondents who were victims confessed that the abuser was known to them beforehand.

For all of you who think registries, stranger danger education, and keeping kids way from “creeps” will be enough to actually protect them, think again. Kids are abused the vast majority of the time by people they know, and who are either part of the family, or closely connected to the family. Given that, how do you protect them?

1. Teach children about bad touch, and make sure they know to tell you about anyone, ANYONE, who tries to hurt them, or wants them to keep secrets.

2. Make sure your relationship with you child is such that they don’t want to keep secrets from you. Open, honest communication is vital.

3. Make sure your kids know they are loved, supported, and believed. Strong kids, with strong parental bonds, and a strong sense of themselves, make poor targets.

What else would you add?

60% girls, 35% boys abused sexually in childhood: Survey