Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse of children is unthinkable to most of us, but unfortunately it has happened in many communities in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 3.6 million cases of child abuse and neglect were reported in the U.S. in 2006, and nine percent of these cases (approx. 325,000) involved sexual abuse. The reported cases most likely represent only a fraction of the true number of incidents of sexual abuse.

Body Contact or No Body Contact—It’s Still a Crime

The sexual abuse of children includes a broad spectrum of acts between a child (under 16 years old) and an adult or an older child. These acts often involve body contact, but there are forms of sexual abuse that do no involve body contact, such as:

• using a child for pornography
• showing pornography to a child
• exposing one’s genitals to a child, or masturbating in front of the child
• pressuring a child to perform a sexual act

Body-contact forms of sexual abuse include:

• forcing the child to touch the abuser's genitals
• touching the child's genitals
• penetration of the child with a finger, penis, or anything else
• involving the child in vaginal, oral, or anal sexual activity

Stranger, Acquaintance, Relative, Another Child

The sexual abuser may be a stranger, a neighbor, a family friend or family member, a babysitter or other caregiver, a trusted professional such as a clergyman, doctor or teacher, or even another child. It’s estimated that about one-third of the people who sexually abuse children are related to the child they’ve abused. Most of the abusers are men, but women (and teenage, female babysitters) have also been convicted of child sexual abuse.

What to Do If Your Child Has Been Sexually Abused

If you suspect or are sure that your child has been sexually abused, try to stay calm. Your child will need your support and reassurance. Contact the police in your local area. You may also be able to use the phone service "411" in your area to find another agency focusing on child abuse or sexual crimes that can help you.

Be sure to let your child know that:

• you believe what he or she has told you
• you know it is not their fault
• you’re glad that s/he told you about it
• you care about what has happened
• you will protect him or her from further abuse

Contact Us for Further Help

Sexual abuse of children is a heinous offense. One of our Massachusetts personal injury attorneys can help you through this traumatic period in your lives, and we will protect the legal rights and interests of your child. Contact us to arrange a confidential consultation.

175 Central Street
Suite 215
Lowell, MA 01852

Tel: 800-483-9219