The
Center for Child Protection and Family Support of Washington, DC
commissioned an independent research firm, ICR (International
Communications Research) headquartered in Media, Pennsylvania to
do a nationally projectable omnibus study to determine the
prevalence of child sexual abuse in the United States.
Separate studies were conducted among two separate groups:
adults and teenagers (age 12-17). The identical question was
asked of both groups.
Research
Methodology
Adult
Research: March 3-7, 2004, research was conducted as part
of ICRs Excel National Telephone Omnibus Study. The
sample size consists of a minimum of 1000 adult interviews, half
with men and half with women. A sample balancing program was
utilized to ensure that, when tabulated, the sample is
reflective of the national adult population of the United
States.
Teen
Research: March 3-7, 2004, the research was
conducted as part of ICRs Teen Excel National
Telephone Omnibus Study. The sample size consists of a minimum
of 500 interviews among a nationally representative sample of
teenagers, age 12-17. The sample is divided among 12-14 and
15-17 year olds, and among males and females. A sample balancing
program was utilized to ensure that, when tabulated, the sample
is reflective of the national teenage population of the United
States.
Research
Question for both Adult and Teen Surveys:
In
two separate studies, the following question was asked of a
minimum of 500 teenagers and 1000 adults:
Turning
to a more sensitive subject, do you personally know anyone who
was sexually abused as a child or teenager?
FINDINGS
AMONG ADULTS:
 |
In
this nationally projectable study, one out of every 3
adults surveyed responded, yes, they personally know
someone who was sexually abused as a child or
teenager. (Out of 1012 adults who responded to the
question, about one third of the adults -- 35.0 % --
reported knowing someone who was the victim of sexual
abuse as a child or a teenager.) |
|
Of
the adults who responded affirmatively to the
question, 59.1% who knew someone who was the victim
of sexual abuse as a child or a teenager, were female and
40.9% were male. |
|
39.9% of the adult females interviewed knew
someone who was the victim of sexual abuse as a child or a
teenager, and 29.7% of the adult males knew someone
who was the victim of sexual abuse as a child. |
|
The study indicates that the higher the education, the
more respondents reported knowing someone who was sexually
abused. The study reports that 31.2% of respondents
reported knowing someone who was sexually abused, compared
with 38.6% with some college and 39.9% with post-college
education. |
|
The
study indicates that more individuals with incomes of $75K
and higher report knowing someone who was sexually abused
(43.6%) than those at lower income levels. |
|
Knowledge of incidences of sexual abuse is nearly the same
across all the ethnic groups represented in the study
including White (36.2% of respondents), Black (35.5%) and
Hispanic (36.3%) groups. |
Findings
among teenagers:
|
In this nationally projectable study, one out of every 4
teenagers (24.7%) surveyed responded, yes, they personally
know someone who was sexually abused as a child or
teenager. |
|
Of
the teens who responded in the affirmative to the
question, 59.7% who knew someone who was the victim
of sexual abuse as a child or a teenager were female and
40.3% were male. |
|
30.0%
of the teen females interviewed knew someone who was
the victim of sexual abuse as a child or a teenager, and
19.6% of the teen males knew someone who was the victim of
sexual abuse as a child. |
|
Of
those who reported knowing someone who was a victim, there
were more reports from youth in the 9th and 10th grades
(26.8% and 23.1 % respectively) than in other
grades. For example, only .3 percent of those who
reported knowing someone who was a victim were in grade 5. |
|
Subsequently,
older teens, the 15-to-17-year-olds, comprise
69.7% of the teens who know someone who was a
victim (27.1%, 23.0% and
19.6% respectively) while younger teenagers,
those 12-14-years-old, comprise only 30.3% (4.2%, 10.3%
and 15.8% respectively) of the teens who know someone
who was a victim. |
|
30%
of the teens who know someone who was a victim of sexual
abuse as a child or teenager come from the South Atlantic
region and 23.2% come from the East North Central
region. Teens in the West North Central (2.6%),
East South Central (3.4%) and the West South Central
(4.6%) were the least likely to have known someone who was
sexually abused as a child or teenager. |
Background
about the Center for Child Protection and Family Support
The
Center for Child Protection and Family Support of Washington,
D.C. is a leader in the field of high-risk families, child
maltreatment, cultural competency, and youth violence
prevention. As a 501(c) (3) non-profit agency, the Center has
served children and families for more than 17 years in the
Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and nationally. The Centers
mission is to ensure that all children, but particularly
inner-city and disadvantaged children are given the
opportunity to mature and develop within a family free of
maltreatment and a community that nurtures and protects them
from violence. Prevention, education, early intervention, and
mental health treatments are the focal point of the Centers
approach to working with child victims and their families.
For
more information, contact:
Robert
Udowitz
703.966.7236
udowitz@earthlink.net
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