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Consequences of child sexual abuse begin affecting children and families immediately. They also affect society in innumerable and negative ways. These effects can continue throughout the life of the survivor so the impact on society for just one survivor continues over multiple decades. Try to imagine the impact of 39 million survivors.

Health and/or Behavioral Problems

  • The way a victim's family responds to abuse plays an important role in how the incident affects the victim.
  • Sexually abused children who keep it a secret or who "tell" and are not believed are at greater risk than the general population for psychological, emotional, social, and physical problems often lasting into adulthood.
  • Children who have been victims of sexual abuse are more likely to experience physical health problems (e.g., headaches).
  • Victims of child sexual abuse report more symptoms of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), more sadness, and more school problems than non-victims.
  • Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to experience major depressive disorder as adults.
  • Young girls who are sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents.
  • Adolescent victims of violent crime have difficulty in the transition to adulthood, are more likely to suffer financial failure and physical injury, and are at risk to fail in other areas due to problem behaviors and outcomes of the victimization.

Drug and/or Alcohol Problems

  • Victims of child sexual abuse report more substance abuse problems. 70-80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use.
  • Young girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or alcohol and drug abuse in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused.
  • Among male survivors, more than 70% seek psychological treatment for issues such as substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide. Males who have been sexually abused are more likely to violently victimize others

Teenage Pregnancy and Promiscuity

  • Children who have been victims of sexual abuse exhibit long-term and more frequent behavioral problems, particularly inappropriate sexual behaviors.
  • Women who report childhood rape are 3 times more likely to become pregnant before age 18.
  • An estimated 60% of teen first pregnancies are preceded by experiences of molestation, rape, or attempted rape. The average age of their offenders is 27 years.
  • Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to be sexually promiscuous.
  • More than 75% of teenage prostitutes have been sexually abused.

Crime

  • Adolescents who suffer violent victimization are at risk for being victims or perpetrators of felony assault, domestic violence, and property offense as adults.
  • Nearly 50% of women in prison state that they were abused as children.
  • Over 75% of serial rapists report they were sexually abused as youngsters.
  • Most perpetrators don't molest only one child if they are not reported and stopped
  • Nearly 70% of child sex offenders have between 1 and 9 victims; at least 20% have 10 to 40 victims.
  • An average serial child molester may have as many as 400 victims in his lifetime.