Usually they are family members, friends of the family or babysitters. Child abuse by strangers does happen, but the vast majority of child sexual abuse is committed by someone known to the child — someone who has easy and frequent access to the child.

Most perpetrators are men, but some are women. Occasionally, couples will jointly abuse children, or one will abuse while the other knowingly keeps silent, often as a result of threats. Recent attention has focused on increasing reports of adolescents abusing younger children — usually siblings, cousins or children in the neighborhood.

Many child sexual abusers were sexually abused when they were children and so the cycle continues...

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