According to RAINN, child protective services (CPS) finds evidence or substantiates a childhood sexual abuse claim every nine minutes. That’s 160 cases daily that can be supported by evidence – and by most estimates, only a tiny fraction of childhood sexual abuse claims are reported. This means that at any time in our country, hundreds of children may be suffering abuse at the hands of an adult.
Many cases of childhood sexual abuse, 66 percent, impact children between 12 and 17. An alarming 34 percent impact children under the age of 12. This translates to one in nine girls and one in 53 boys experiencing sexual abuse from an adult before they turn 18.
RAINN reports that females aged 16 to 19 are four times more likely to be victims of sexual assault than boys of a similar age. This makes sense when considering 84 percent of childhood sexual abuse survivors are female.
Victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to commit suicide, experience anxiety, and suffer from intrusive thoughts, including suicidal ideation. Many victims of childhood sexual abuse develop drug addictions and have difficulty maintaining healthy adult relationships. They are four times more likely to develop PTSD and three times more likely to suffer severe depressive episodes, even years after events occur. Tragically, the consequences of childhood sexual abuse often last for a lifetime.
Men are more likely to sexually abuse children than women, trans, and non-binary individuals. Of the cases substantiated by CPS, nearly 85 percent are committed by men. In addition, the perpetrator is known by the victim in 93 percent of these cases, and in 34 percent of cases, the perpetrator is an actual family member.
Victims Deserve Justice
No matter who has perpetrated the abuse, children who have suffered sexual abuse are entitled to hold their attackers to account and seek justice for their suffering. The attorneys at the Cifarelli Firm are here to help children and their families do just that. We have a long and proud history of helping victims of sexual abuse seek justice through swift and aggressive legal action. We are here to listen to your story, help you understand your options, and guide you toward the best way to seek compensation.
Please call us at 949-502-8600to schedule a free case review and learn more today.
The Los Angeles child sex abuse attorneys at the Cifarelli Firm serve families living in Irvine, Long Beach, Oxnard, and the Greater Los Angeles area.
