Adult retrospective studies show that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men were sexually abused before the age of 18 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). This means there are more than 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse in the U.S. (Silent Tears)

The primary reason that the public is not sufficiently aware of child sexual abuse as a problem is that only about 38% of child victims disclose the fact that they have been abused. Some never disclose. (Darkness to Light)

Those that molest children look and act just like everyone else. There are people who have or will sexually abuse children in your church, school and youth sports leagues. Abusers can be neighbors, friends and family members. (Darkness to Light)

Child sexual abuse is not solely restricted to physical contact; such abuse could include noncontact abuse, such as exposure, voyeurism, and child pornography. (Darkness to Light)

Most sex offenders are male but as many as 20% of adults who sexually abuse a child may be female. (Silent Tears)

Female adult survivors of child sexual abuse are nearly three times more likely to report substance use problems. Male adult survivors are 2.6 times more likely to report substance use problems. (Silent Tears)

Adult women who were sexually abused as a child are more than twice as likely to suffer from depression as women who were not sexually abused. (Silent Tears)

Adults with a history of child sexual abuse are more than twice as likely to report a suicide attempt. (Silent Tears)

Girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders than girls who are not sexually abused.

Women 20 to 24 years of age who were sexually abused as children were four times more likely than their non-abused peers to be diagnosed with an eating disorder. (Silent Tears)

The total estimated cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States is approximately $103 billion dollars a year (2007). (Silent Tears)