How Many Children Will Experience Sexual Abuse Before They Turn 18?

How Many Children Will Experience Sexual Abuse Before They Turn 18?

Sexual abuse is one of the most devastating violations a child can endure—and tragically, it’s far more common than many people realize. Behind the statistics are real children, families, and survivors whose lives are forever changed.

How many children will experience sexual abuse before adulthood? The answer is sobering: 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys in the U.S. will be sexually abused before they turn 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These numbers likely underrepresent the full scope of the problem, as many cases are never reported.

At Horowitz Law, we work with survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are still living with the impact, sometimes decades later.

Whether the abuse occurred in a school, church, medical setting, or youth organization, the legal system offers pathways toward accountability, justice, and healing. But understanding the size of the problem is an important first step.

Why Is Child Sexual Abuse So Underreported?

One of the reasons sexual abuse is so widespread is that it often goes unspoken for years. In many cases, survivors don’t tell anyone until adulthood—if ever.

Common reasons for underreporting include:

• Fear of not being believed
• Shame or guilt (especially if grooming or manipulation occurred)
• Confusion about what happened
• Loyalty to or fear of the abuser
• Pressure from family or institutions to stay silent

Survivors frequently tell us that they didn’t have the language to describe what happened—or that adults dismissed or ignored their concerns. This silence allows abuse to continue unchecked.

Where Does Abuse Happen?

Sexual abuse doesn’t just happen in dark alleys or isolated places. In fact, most child sexual abuse occurs in settings that appear safe, trusted, and familiar to the child.

Common environments include:

• Homes (including by family members or family friends)
• Schools
• Churches or religious institutions
• Daycare centers
• Youth sports organizations
• Medical settings (such as a doctor or therapist abusing their position)
• Camps, clubs, and after-school programs

At Horowitz Law, we’ve worked with survivors whose abuse occurred in all of these environments. Many times, the institutions responsible for supervision knew—or should have known—that abuse was happening and failed to act.

The Lasting Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse in childhood can leave deep and lasting scars. The effects may not surface immediately but can emerge over time—during adolescence, adulthood, parenthood, or even after beginning therapy.

Survivors may experience:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Depression and anxiety
• Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships
• Challenges with trust, intimacy, or parenting
• Addiction or self-harming behaviors
• Academic or career disruptions
• Long-term physical health problems

Many survivors describe feeling “stuck” or struggling to move forward. Civil legal action, therapy, and survivor support networks can all play a role in recovery and justice.

Institutional Responsibility and Legal Accountability

One of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of child sexual abuse is the role of institutions. In many cases, abuse could have been prevented—or stopped earlier—if the institution had acted responsibly.

Institutions that may be held liable in civil cases include:

• Schools that failed to investigate or report complaints
• Churches or religious organizations that moved known abusers to different locations
• Youth programs or sports leagues that ignored grooming behavior
• Foster care agencies or group homes that failed to screen or monitor caregivers
• Medical facilities that enabled abuse by doctors, therapists, or staff

Legal accountability doesn’t just address the abuser—it holds institutions responsible for the harm they allowed or covered up.

Why Knowing the Statistics Matters

You might wonder: Why focus on numbers? Because understanding how widespread childhood sexual abuse is can help:

• Break the stigma for survivors who feel alone
• Push for stronger safeguards in schools, youth programs, and churches
• Encourage adults to speak with their children about body safety
• Help survivors recognize that what happened to them is real, and not their fault

These numbers also send a powerful message: Survivors are not alone.

What Can Parents and Caregivers Do?

Parents can’t control every environment their child enters, but they can educate, support, and protect their children through proactive conversations and involvement.

Key tips for prevention and support:

• Teach body autonomy and that no one should touch their private parts
• Use the correct names for body parts to promote clarity and confidence
• Create a “no secrets” policy. Surprises are okay, secrets are not
• Encourage open communication about anything that feels “weird” or uncomfortable
• Ask schools, camps, and churches about their background checks and abuse prevention policies
• Trust your gut. If a situation or person feels wrong, act on it

These efforts don’t guarantee safety, but they help build protective layers around your child and create a foundation of trust.

What Laws Protect Children?

Laws protecting children from sexual abuse vary by state, but many include:

• Mandatory reporting laws for educators, medical professionals, and clergy
• Statute of limitations extensions that allow adult survivors to file lawsuits years later
• Civil laws that allow survivors to sue institutions for negligence or cover-ups
• Federal protections, such as Title IX (in educational settings)

In Florida, for example, survivors who were sexually abused as children can file civil lawsuits at any time if they were under 16 when the abuse occurred. There is no statute of limitations in many of these cases.

How Can Survivors Seek Justice?

For many survivors, justice doesn’t only mean criminal charges—it also means being heard, holding institutions accountable, and getting support for long-term healing.

Legal action may include:

• Filing a civil lawsuit against an institution or perpetrator
• Pursuing damages for therapy, lost income, and emotional suffering
• Requesting that courts keep the survivor’s identity confidential (e.g., “Jane Doe”)
• Seeking policy changes or public disclosures to prevent future abuse

Even if the abuse occurred decades ago, survivors may still have legal options. Civil lawsuits can be filed independently of any criminal case, and in many cases, provide a path forward even when criminal charges are no longer possible.

What Should You Do If You or Someone You Know Was Abused?

If you’re reading this because you—or someone you care about—experienced sexual abuse as a child, you’re not alone. Help is available, and it’s never too late to come forward, ask questions, or seek justice.

Here are a few first steps:

• Talk with a trauma-informed therapist or counselor
• Contact a child advocacy center or abuse support hotline
• Speak with a child sexual abuse lawyer who handles sexual abuse cases to learn about your rights
• Report the abuse to law enforcement or child protective services if appropriate

Even if you're unsure whether what happened “counts,” your experience matters. You don’t need proof to start asking questions or exploring your legal options.

How Grooming Leads to Abuse—and Why It’s So Often Missed

Many perpetrators don’t begin with overt acts of abuse. Instead, they use a pattern of behaviors known as grooming to gain a child’s trust and break down boundaries over time. Grooming can look like:

• Giving special attention or gifts
• Offering unsupervised time, rides, or private “mentorship”
• Testing physical boundaries (e.g., hugs, tickling, back rubs)
• Creating secrets between the child and adult
• Isolating the child from peers or protective adults

Because grooming often appears kind or “helpful,” it can be hard for children—or even their parents—to recognize it as dangerous.

By the time abuse occurs, the child may feel confused, compliant, or too ashamed to speak up. Understanding grooming is essential for both prevention and accountability.

Abuse Can Happen Across All Communities

Sexual abuse does not discriminate. It affects children regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic background, gender identity, or family structure. Some communities face unique barriers to reporting and healing:

• Cultural stigma or silence around abuse
• Distrust of law enforcement or legal systems
• Fear of immigration consequences
• Lack of access to trauma-informed support or legal counsel

At Horowitz Law, we’ve seen firsthand how abuse hides behind power imbalances. Whether the abuser was a respected religious figure, educator, or family friend, the trauma does not change based on zip code or background. Every child deserves protection, and every survivor deserves a path to justice.

Why Delayed Disclosure Is Normal—Not a Red Flag

One of the biggest misconceptions about childhood sexual abuse is that “if it really happened, the child would have said something right away.” In reality, most survivors do not disclose until years—or even decades—later.

Some reasons survivors delay disclosure include:

• Not understanding that what happened was abuse
• Fear of disrupting their family or community
• Guilt or self-blame (especially if the abuser was trusted)
• Trauma responses such as dissociation or memory suppression

Courts, therapists, and trauma researchers now understand that delayed disclosure is a common and valid response to childhood abuse. If you’re just now recognizing what happened to you—or your child—there are still options to seek help.

What Happens After a Civil Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Is Filed?

Survivors often worry that pursuing a lawsuit means reliving their trauma in court. But most civil sexual abuse cases do not go to trial. Here’s what typically happens:

1. Private, confidential consultation to review your experience
2. Case investigation into the abuse and the institution’s role
3. Filing of a civil lawsuit, often under a pseudonym like “Jane Doe”
4. Exchange of evidence between the survivor’s and defendant’s lawyers
5. Settlement negotiations (many cases resolve at this stage)
6. If needed, court appearances or trial—only if the survivor chooses to proceed

At Horowitz Law, our role is to support the survivor, not pressure them. You control the pace and the decisions. Legal action can be difficult, but it can also offer a powerful step toward closure, healing, and accountability.

Prevention Starts with Adults, Not Kids

Children are never responsible for preventing abuse. The burden lies with adults: parents, educators, coaches, and institutions that supervise children. Prevention means more than teaching kids about body safety.

It means adults paying attention, asking hard questions, and creating environments where abuse is less likely to occur.

Prevention steps include:

• Requiring background checks and abuse prevention training for staff and volunteers
• Setting policies that limit one-on-one adult-child interactions
• Encouraging open conversations about boundaries and consent
• Responding immediately and seriously to all abuse reports or suspicions
• Supporting survivors, even when the accused is someone “respected”

When adults take abuse seriously, listen to children, and demand accountability from institutions, we begin to shift the culture—and prevent future harm.

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Support Resources

Here are some national and Florida-based resources for survivors:

National Resources:

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
  www.rainn.org | 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
  www.nsvrc.org
• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
  www.childhelp.org | 1-800-4-A-CHILD

Florida-Based Resources:

• Florida Council Against Sexual Violence
  www.fcasv.org
• Florida Department of Children and Families Abuse Hotline
  1-800-962-2873 | www.myflfamilies.com

Are You Ready to Take Legal Action?

The reality is painful: Hundreds of thousands of children are sexually abused in the U.S. each year. But by understanding the scope, speaking openly, and holding institutions accountable, we can begin to change that.

If you or someone you love experienced sexual abuse—whether recently or long ago—legal action may offer a path toward healing and justice. At Horowitz Law, we listen with compassion and provide trauma-informed support for survivors seeking answers.

Call Horowitz Law at (954) 641-2100 for a confidential consultation.