the Issue of Child Sexual Abuse

Now guess which one will be sexually abused before she’s 18.

Which one of them will be sexually abused before he’s 18?

No one wants to think about it.
That’s what abusers of children count on, of course.

They keep children silent and adults ignorant.

Why should you care?

It doesn’t happen in your town. At your school. In your church.
Actually, it does.

And the cost is great.

For more about the
cost of abuse, check out the
Economic Impact Calculator

The reality is that one incident of childhood sexual abuse costs a community nearly $14,000.* As of a 1996 National Institute of Justice study, child sexual abuse costs the U.S. approximately $35 billion a year.

The emotional cost in incalculable.

Research shows that people who are sexually violated as children are far more likely to experience psychological problems often lasting into adulthood, including Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, depression, suicide, substance abuse and relationship problems.

Child sexual abuse is not the problem of one region, race, creed, socio-economic status or gender. It impacts every community and every person in America.

Victims of childhood sexual abuse don’t just suffer emotionally. They suffer physically.

• Victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to suffer from obesity.
• Are more likely to suffer from heart disease.
• Are more likely to engage in destructive behavior with drugs and alcohol.

In fact, if child sexual abuse were like most childhood diseases, the prevalence and consequences of it would lead to telethons to raise money for its cure. But child sexual abuse is one of the last cultural taboos. With the exception of child-focused personal safety programs, almost nothing is being done to address it. That’s where Darkness to Light and the good news beings.

Learning the facts about childhood sexual abuse helps prevent it.

Read the 7 Steps to Protecting Our Children to learn simple, proactive steps you can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly.

Talking about it helps prevent it.

We make sure our children are in car seats and seat belts. We walk them across busy streets. We ask our teens where they are going and who they will be with. All to keep them safe. And yet, when it comes to the crime of sexual abuse, we often grow silent. Darkness to Light stands ready to help you find the words to have the conversation every family needs to be safe and empowered. 

Getting involved helps prevent it.

From volunteers to educators to donors, being an active participant in the mission to end childhood sexual abuse is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do.

If childhood sexual abuse can be prevented, it can be stopped. Through awareness, education and prevention, children can move from silence to exuberance. Adults can move from ignorance to empowerment.