April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
April is declared National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, SAAPM. This month is dedicated to the promotion of education and knowledge of sexual abuse and increasing awareness of the issues as well as support available for survivors. Many state, local, and federal agencies and organizations are involved in SAAPM. This year’s theme is “Building Connected Communities.”
Increase Awareness of Sexual Assault
Even though April is National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, anytime is the ideal time to learn more about sexual abuse, including child molestation. Child sexual abuse is unwanted sexual activity or contact with a child under the age of 18. Child sexual abuse is also called child molestation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys in the United States experience child sexual abuse. More than 90% of child sexual abuse happens at the hands of someone the child knows and trusts.
Consequences of Child Sexual Abuse
There are many negative consequences that child victims face as victims of sexual assault and abuse. These consequences are generally referred to as adverse childhood experiences or ACE.
Child sexual abuse can have an impact on a child’s physical, emotional, and/or behavioral health. The impact may include both short-term and long-term issues. A victim of child sexual abuse may suffer the effects long into adulthood.
Some physical, emotional, or behavioral consequences may include physical harm, sexually transmitted disease, anxiety, depression, changes in behavior, regression, anger, PTSD, and more. As an adult, a victim may have trouble establishing relationships and could suffer from other problems such as anorexia, sleep disorders, and even thoughts of suicide.
Women who were child victims of sexual abuse have up to a 13 times higher risk of being a victim of sexual violence as adults. Those who were victims of childhood abuse are twice as likely to experience non-sexual partner violence as adults. Victims will want to seek qualified help from a therapist or counselor as soon as possible.
Sexual Assault and Awareness Prevention – Handling Child Abuse Claims
It is essential to report child sexual abuse to the police as soon as possible. The police will investigate the report and take appropriate action. The California Children’s Justice Act (CJA) Task Force includes members, committees, and councils that promote activities that improve the investigation and handling of child abuse and neglect cases. They help to investigate and prosecute cases of reported or suspected abuse.
School administrators and teachers, members of the clergy, and medical professionals are mandated to report suspected cases of child abuse to the proper authorities. The failure to report the incident could result in criminal charges, per the Child Abuse Reporting Act. If the mandated reporter does not make a report, they could be held criminally liable, as well as possibly civilly responsible.
If you or a loved one are the victims of child sexual abuse, you may seek justice with the help of an attorney. You may be owed compensation from the responsible parties. Contact our California child sexual abuse attorney at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 for a private consultation.
