Children Blamed for Child Sexual Abuse
August 28th 2007 by Megan Bayliss in Child Abuse
Two children made a complaint against a man that everyone in the small town loved. More children came forward and made complaints of sexual abuse. Throughout the investigation, Police also contacted other children, allegedly sexually abused by this beloved townsman. Many of the contacted children admitted that the man had sexually abused them for years.
In the face of overwhelming evidence, the man confessed. Over a long period, he had sexually abused almost every female child he had contact with. Banished from his town by the judicial system and sent to jail in a place far from home, rural anger turned toward the children.
“If you knew he was like that why did you go near him?”
“It’s common sense, you just stay away from danger.”
“Because he was teased by big girls who should know better, we have lost our best worker.”
“The children got together and lied. Look, they’re all sad now that he’s gone.”
The statements resounded in my head; louder, stronger and more convincing that my single voice of; “He was responsible for the abuse, not the kids.”
I left my short break in the town exhausted and sad that children are still blamed for sexual assault.
Do you recognise your reactions to child sexual abuse as parallel to what townsfolk were saying?
Child sexual abuse is NEVER the fault of the child.
Related child protection and child safety articles:
Understanding Protective Behaviours in Keeping Children Safe
Family Talk - A Way to Prevent Child Abuse
Risk Factors and Indicators of Child Abuse
Stumble it!
August 28th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
yeah~ i am meeting kids that go up and talk to their perpetrator years after the incident, and some wonder if the abuse actually took place! so many of us need to be educated into the reactions of kids to sexual trauma. Especially when parents are involved or the perpetrator is held in esteem by some significant adults. Kids will try to re-make a “friendship” (fiendship…?), like, it’s their fault it happened - right?
August 29th, 2007 at 3:54 am
Char I rather like your ‘Fiendship’ pun. I am going to use that in my trainings to help explain why children accomodate abuse and often recant stories.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:00 am
That is a sad story, but very common these days. So many of the stories I hear through friends are similar. When their abuse was put into the open, it was either covered up or an excuse is given. They don’t do anything to stop the abuse from happening again to other children! To blame a child for abuse is plain ignorance. It is madding.
I just found your website from Opal (Vegan Mama). I am glad I did and I want to thank you for starting this blog. There needs to be more awareness of child abuse.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:04 am
Thanks Gnomey. The more people like us that talk about these issues, the quicker the voice of our children will be heard and believed.
Thank you for everything that you do too.
August 31st, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I wish blogs like yours were more popular than the ‘making money ones’, but alas those subjects seem to be more important to people these days. The message you are trying to spread is the most important one. I feel it takes a very strong spirit to do what you are doing!
Did you hear about the BlogCatalogs Blogging Challenge, Blogging Against Abuse. This is something you might be interested in.