I’ve been cleaning my desk, clearing files of outdated medical information…here’s information on child abuse that is, sadly, not out of date…
-In 1866 the Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals was created. Legislation to prevent cruelty to children wasn’t passed until 1974.
-In 1999, child abuse was the number one cause of death in children under age 1.
-Most cases of sexual child abuse (over 90%) do not involve a stranger.
-Sexual child abusers are often intelligent, admired and cohesive. They used the internet to educate themselves and promote their actions. They also used the internet to teach each other how to successful attract children and gain their trust.
-Sexual abuse does not start with the genitals, children are taught not to let anyone pull down their pants. They often start with the mouth.
-Single mothers, especially those with latch-key children are a common target. The pedophile will befriend the mother and offer to help her out…eventually gaining her trust. They look for a child with low self-esteem and then compliment them, buy them gifts and spend time with them. Disney movies evolve to movies with more explicit scenes.
-Successful pedophiles (those that don’t get caught) are smart. We have to be smarter.
-Educating one adult about sexual abuse can prevent ten cases.
If you’re interested in how to recognize and prevent child abuse, you can receive training at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Denton County.
Dr.Badaracco, MD
