NCJ Number
222490
Editor(s)
Rob McManus
Date Published
July 2007
Length
118 pages
Annotation
This report on sexual violence against children in South Carolina between 1991 and 2005 provides information on the perpetrators, their victims, and the circumstances associated with the offenses.
Abstract
During the period under study, nearly two-thirds of the victims of all sexual-violence offenses were under 18 years old. Among children, the highest victimization rate was among 10-14-year-olds. Although most of the child victims were girls, 17.4 percent were boys. Victimization rates did not vary significantly by race. Sexual violence against children by strangers accounted for only 8.9 percent of the total. Offenders known by but not related to, married to, or linked romantically to the victim accounted for 57.6 percent of the total. Sexual attacks against children by their parents or stepparents were 46.2 percent more frequent than sexual attacks against children by strangers. Sexual violence against children by other family members was 39.2 percent more frequent than by strangers. Offenders were considerably older than their victims, with 32.2 percent being more than 20 years older than their victims. Men attacking girls accounted for 79.8 percent of the cases, and men attacking boys accounted for 14.8 percent of the total. Regarding the instruments of violence (weapons) against victims, hands, feet, and fists accounted for 91.6 percent of all weapons. Only 7.5 percent of sexual violence offenses against children involved alcohol or drug use by the offender. Children were most often attacked late at night (midnight), on their way to school, leaving school, and at lunch time. Each peak time had a different set of circumstances regarding the victim-offender relationship and the location of the attack. Offenders usually acted alone. Suggestions for prevention pertain to protection for children at peak times when offenses occur and restrictions on situations in which children, particularly girls, are left alone with older men. Extensive tables and figures