Is it true that one out of every 3 people in america are sexually molested or assaulted as children?

Question

I have heard this statistic but I can't find any support for it. If so, what do you think is wrong with this country? Is the rate of sexual molestation higher in other countries? How many of these do you think are done by family members and why?

Answer 1

There is no way possible to answer to your questions in full. But, I want to briefly give you how I feel about what you heard: 1 out of 3 kids in america are abused (considering all types of abuse, sexual, physical, mental): I say that this is true. As far as sexual abuse alone, I would estimate that 1 out of 4 or 5 children are molested. One of the reasons you cannot find any official statistics is the fact that many children (or family members such as adults) are too ashamed or afraid to speak out. Incest is one of the oldest and most powerful taboos in human history. But based on my experience with other women I worked with: Indeed, the percentage is sadly what reality is. If you visit a drug rehab, I can promise you that after asking all the patients whether or not they have been abused in their childhood, you will find out that at least 1/2 of the men and women were indeed. I worked in two of these centers (one in france one here in the us) the statistics are pretty much the same as far as industrialized countries (answering your second question). I don't know about third world countries. I take it the data is even harder to collect in countries where the first concern is food. but it would be extremely interesting to find out one of these days.

How many of these are done by family members? I would say that the majority is done by family members and/or close friends. child molesters are usually highly intelligent and talented in that they prey on opportunities. Also, a child is much more willing to "keep the secret" with someone he/she already knows. Due to the divorce rate that has increased ever since, cases of child abuse have been more and more frequent. One of the obvious reasons: A child is more vulnerable then.

As far as why family members would do such a thing? It is taking me a life time to figure this one out. There are so many factors involved. Let alone the fact that psychiatry has still not figure out who exactly the child molester is and how he/she can be brought back to health.

Is it because our western cultures have stamped "Incest" as the worst of the evils that we have so many problems with this issue. Does a culture who recognize the act of incest as a necessary "rite of passage" is better off and the children "less traumatized?"

PS. I don't know who Suzy Q's source is. I never heard of such a thing as countries in Europe allowing child abuse so openly. I was born and raised in France and traveled quite a bit throughout Europe too. I'd love to get the reference on that one.

As far as you finding statistics on the subject, there are a few organizations that you can find on the net. but your best bet, in my opinion, is that you look into organizations dealing with drug abuse. The study of drug abuse related to child abuse is recent but the results are quite interesting. Again, it might be easier to find some valid data in a drug rehab in that people in treatment are more willing to admit (being part of the treatment process) than in ordinary life setting.

Answer 2

I might think it was somewhat less than 1 in 3 , perhaps 1 in 4 or so , but thats a more or less accurate statement not just in the US but probably worldwide, with larger occurances in countries with either highly historicallly repressed societies (i.e.; Saudi Arabia,Afghanistan) or segments of societies where sexually frank subjects are not discussed openly nor investigated carefully.

While the focus in the US (at least) was on the church's tacitly unresponsive action on this matter, it is a SERIOUSLY unresolved issue privately. Neighborhood predators and especially online predators present a serious danger to children and young adults. Peer predators or pressure also constitute a large fraction of the molestation or assualts which occur and the vast majority of these cases is STILL unreported.

But it's definitely not just in the US, it's just reported in the US. (Just read Kite Runner or see Osama).

When the "story" about Catholic Priests broke a few years ago. Unfortunately, the "story" was 30 years old in most cases and the church had either dealt with or in some cases regretably was still hiding or shuffling predators around. HOWEVER, it makes for an interesting case for two reasons.

1. The popular asumption that the percentage of clergy that were molesters was actually lower than the general population by nearly 40%, so while clearly not correcting the problem it did have some inate mechanisms for minimizing incidents of molestation.

2. You won't really find alot of other religions or people making "light-of" or writing off the experiences as "just those crazy catholics" dismissive remarks one might normally be expected to see between the various religious faiths, primarly because it was a wake up call to ALL faiths that they should do a gut check on their Imams and Rabbis and Presbers and Vicars and make sure they weren't having the same kinds of problems. (What do you know, there is something to that casting of stones bit, after all)

Unfortunately, in other countries, there is not the progressive investigative inquiry into these matters as might be found in the US or Canada or other western countries and also it's a question of wealth and the middle class.

Poorer countries may not have the resources to investigate these matters more and those societies without a larger middle-class to become concerned in the first place, might feel they have no choice but the "devil they know".

But also by simply run the molesting Imam or Preacher out of town, you still move the problem around, but because the church keeps a reign on it's priests, it was questioned by the higher-ups, Bishops, Cardinals etc, which is why it was detected at all a problem.

In a way the tragic events of the church were a Godsend because when I was younger, this stuff definitely occured (not in church) but in my school and neighborhood, and we simply DID NOT talk about it, so until someone was brave enough to come forward, stuff did not get reported to the authorities, or simply did not get reported at all. It - in our case at least was a case where everyone had their suspiscions but nobody could prove anything, so on it went for years in some cases.

We had a girl - who was....let's just say daddy's special little girl, until she was unfathomably brave and went to a teacher with the problem this caused a cascade effect, when we also discovered we had a couple of boys in the 8th grade - when I was in 5th grade who were "good" friends with the 8th grade gym-coach, after a while, the teacher got caught with one of the girls at which point something like 4 kids were found to have been involved (not probably with each other) but this teacher, in just our little school of 300+ students.

Answer 3

Sounds high.

It's more common that we're used to believing.

I've heard a similar number for women sexually assaulted in their lifetimes (which I also think might be a bit high), could you be confusing those two things?

If you really want to know such a facty thing (well, it's an estimate, but you want a well-founded estimate), you'd need to go to a real source.

Maybe a few different sources.

I don't know that it's worse here than elsewhere -- especially war-torn areas.

Most IS family or other trusted people; that I've heard frequently from a variety of reliable sources.

So, try the UN web site for the world view, and the US government.

Try a few advocacy groups (who will have the higher numbers, I would imagine).

Try children advocacy, and mental health sites.

Pay attention to definitions, and how the data were gathered.

Are they including children who once saw a flasher?

It's tricky, because people don't want to say; plus you don't have a census, but various types of samples.

Also pay attention to the language -- whether they're giving high or low, or ranges, or what.

Answer 4

its probably true- there is alot of things wrong with people- and this kind of thing perpetuates itself, as if one is molested, one will molest and so on. UNLESS you get help and break the cycle. As far as most being done by family members, well think easy access.

Answer 5

Did you ever stop to contemplate the certainty that usa is fairly one among the few places contained in the international the place women would properly be chuffed to document rape and attack? In some international places women are farm animals and have not have been given any rights. The data are actually not precise through fact of ways plenty isn't advised. women are abused, raped, and tortured international extensive. yet in fact in usa it rather is stated and punished! Rape is a criminal offense. Rape is a sin against God and humanity and everybody that condones it is going to stand God Almighty himself sometime.

Answer 6

in other counties this is not against the law? did not you know this? there are counties whee you can have a young boy for the nite. such as holland and others. its sad and its true. i am not sure but i know that alot of it wasn't as voiced as now because now there is more media and people are learning and it s getting out

Answer 7

Perverts! Good I do not live in the USA. This has to stop, and the molesters should burn in hell.

Answer 8

4.3/3 people in America - multiple apertures.

Answer 9

Because there are way too many sick people in this world !

Answer 10

I was not