Child Sexual Abuse
Victim Characteristics: Upon examination of sexual abuse statistics, certain characteristics or commonalities shared by victims become apparent. Incidence trends tend to break down by the ages and genders of victims. Age-related findings include:
- Over two thirds of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement were juveniles under the age of 18 at the time they were attacked.
- Of these juvenile victims, more than half were under the age of 7.
- The single age with the greatest proportion of sexual assault victims is 14.
- For victims under age 12, 4 year olds were at greatest risk of sexual assault.
- The maximum risk age for forcible rape is among 12 to 17 year olds.
- The maximum risk age for forcible sodomy is among 6 to 11 year olds.
- The maximum risk age for sexual assault with an object is among 0 to 5 year olds.
- The maximum risk age for forcible fondling is among 12 to 17 year olds.
- Juveniles under 12 are more likely to be victimized with another individual.
