FACTS OR MYTHS?

FACTS		MYTHS
Adults who sexually abuse a child usually know the child in some capacity. Disclosure may not occur immediately after the abuse and may not happen all at once. Children often do not disclose abuse until they are adults. Adults who sexually abuse children can also be in adult sexual relationships. Offenders may test a child’s boundaries in front of other adults — ‘accidentally’ touching them in private areas while rubbing their backs, tickling, wrestling, etc. Sexual abuse that does not include contact can still have a psychological and emotional impact on victims. Sexual offences against children are the crimes least likely to be reported to authorities. Some offenders knew they had a sexual interest in children when they were adolescents.		Most offenders are strangers. All offenders were sexually abused as children. Only men sexually abuse children. All offenders look creepy and weird. Offenders are unlikeable. If a child is sexually abused s/he will tell someone immediately. Only offences that include touching impact the victim. Non-family child sex offenders always force or threaten children into sexual activity. Nice people who like and help children would never sexually molest them. A child molested by a non-family member would disclose as soon as s/he had a chance. A sexually victimized child would never freely return to an non-family offender.

Legal age of consent in Canada is 16 years old, but does not apply if an adult is in a position of trust with the youth.