Surgeon General's Workshop on Violence and Public Health Report

摘要

Many abused children are sexually violated, forcefully or through the implicit threats of a parent or caretaker in a position of authority and power. Scant information exists but some figures are enlightening and alarming. In 1984, nearly 125,000 cases of sexually abused male and female children were reported to authorities. Prevalence figures for women who were sex- ually abused before age 16 run between 25 and 50 percent. Peak abuse ages for male and female children fall between 9 and 12. Between one- quarter and one-half of the abuse cases involve a family member or relative.