Fact:
A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds. More than five children die every day as a result of child abuse. Approximately 80% of children that die from abuse are under the age of 4. It is estimated that between 50-60% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates. More than 90% of juvenile sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator in some way. Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse. About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder. The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2008 is $124 billion. (childhelp.org).

Fact:
A total of 2,039 suspects were prosecuted for Federal sex offenses in 2006, representing about 2.5% of the 83,148 suspects prosecuted in Federal courts. The main sex exploitation offense referred to U.S. attorneys shifted from sex abuse (73%) in 1994 to child pornography (69%) in 2006. Convicted sex offenders sentenced to prison increased from 81% in 1996 to 96% in 2006. (Bureau of Justice statistics.gov).

Fact:
According to the World Health Organization, up to 53,000 children are murdered worldwide each year. 1.8 million are involved in prostitution or pornography and 1.2 million have been trafficked. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Administration for Children & Families. Child Maltreatment 2011.)

Fact: 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one year period of time in America, resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing EACH DAY. (The Center for Missing and Exploited Children 2012).

Fact:
Abused children all learn early to keep their mouths shut. They are told that they will not be believed, that their friends, siblings or families will die if they tell, etc.

Fact:
Those who do survive adapt through various ways: dissociation, acceptance, daydreaming, denial.

Fact:
Those who die are never able to tell their story.

Fact:
Those who live through the abuse either bury the memories through dissociation, become abusers themselves, or live in fear of their abusers.

Fact:
Dissociative Identity Disorder remains a recognized disorder (DSM-IV-TR – American Psychiatric Association).

Fact:
Once in awhile a brave survivor does tell their story of abuse. In the face of adversity – the skeptics, the abusers, the pedophiles – all there waiting to pounce, to create the very reality of her biggest fear – ‘no one will believe you’..