SPEAK > True or False List

Child Sexual Assault
Myths or Facts?
More than 100,000 children are reported as sexually abused in the United States every year. Experts estimate that most assaults go unreported, so in all likelihood, even more children are being hurt. Reports are sometimes not made because of common misunderstandings about sexual assault on children. Some of those beliefs are listed below. Which are true and which are false?

1. Children usually lie about being sexually assaulted.
2. Children deserve to be molested if they continue contact with the molester.
3. Sexual abuse of children is not a crime.
4. Infants are never sexually assaulted.
5. Children always tell someone about sexual assaults.
6. The majority of victims are abused by people they don't know.
7. Young children will forget about their victimization.
8. Children always hate someone who assaults them sexually.
9. Children are better off if they don't talk about their assault.
10. Child molesters are not a danger to society.
11. Child molesters usually get caught the first time they commit an assault.
12. Once a molester is convicted, he or she will not commit a sexual offense again.