Myths of Abuse

Myths of Childhood Abuse:

"Mothers are always to blame" because most of them really knew deep down what was going on – they must have. Most don’t.

"Young children (eg - under 5) will forget what happened to them" as their memories are unreliable. Not so – memory kind is different at different life stages and child testimony reflects this.

"All sex offenders’ are violent when they offend against a child" - not true - most don’t like to leave scars or forensic evidence that they’ve assaulted a child as they are more likely to be caught.

"Sex offenders are strangers" - they’re not – they’re someone you know, who has carefully planned and ‘groomed’ you and your child. And sometimes they are a brother, sister or cousin too – not just a stepfather, grandfather or uncle.

"Women don’t sexually offend against children" - yes they do. In much fewer cases, but with young children too, not just the teenage boys in the media.

"Only certain kinds of children are vulnerable" - partly true – offenders look for needy children. But, depending upon whether intrafamilial or extrafamilial, male and female children are both at risk.

"Offenders only target certain kinds of children" - partly true - some offenders are ‘preferential’ to age, gender, looks or body size, but others are ‘opportunistic’.

"Offenders are dirty old men" – some may be, but by then, they’ve had a long career of offending. Offenders tend to 1st offend in adolescence and then continue in various forms and environments.

"Offenders are mentally deficient" – not true - most are actually very clever given the detailed plans they make to groom and the excuses they can come up with to rationalise offending.