NCJ Number
166387
Date Published
1996
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Data reported to the West Virginia Child Abuse/Neglect Data Base from its inception in October 1993 to October 31, 1995 were studied to determine the basic characteristics of child sexual abuse in the State.
Abstract
The cases were all child maltreatment referrals associated with a conclusion by the Department of Health and Human Resources that the child or children had been sexually abused by a parent, guardian, or other custodian. The study excluded cases in which the perpetrators had no custodial relationship to the victims. The analysis revealed that children of all ages were sexually abused. Every county reported child sexual abuse. Children ages 13-15 were the most frequent victims. A total of 92.9 percent of the victims were white, and 78.8 percent were male. The vast majority of child sexual abuse was associated with low family income. Fathers were the abusers in 21.1 percent of the cases, mothers in 17.5 percent, stepparents in 14.6 percent, relatives in 14 percent, paramours in 13.7 percent, and others in the remaining cases. In some cases more than one person committed the abuse. Child protective service workers rated 63 percent of the children as being at high or significant risk of revictimization without some type of government intervention. Thirty-two percent of the cases did not involve a court petition. Figures, table, statement of dissent from the report, and list of 10 related readings