Prevention
Criminal Background Checks
Criminal background checks, which are commonly used by organizations to detect a history of sexual offenses, can only identify people who have been convicted of a sexual offense in the past. Estimates are that only 4% of all child sexual abusers have been convicted and have criminal records.
Prevention
Detecting Sexual Interest in Children
The Diana Screen is the first objective test to identify people who have a higher risk of having sexually abused a child in the past.
Impact
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
31% or 71,000 Oregon women rape survivors have developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some time in their lives compared to 5% of women never victimized by violent crime (Kilpatrick and Ruggiero, 2003).
Other Psychological Impacts
The potential impact of sexual abuse does not just stop there, According to Dr. Vicent Felitti, Chief of Preventative Medicine at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, abused children may use behaviors such as cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol/drug use, overeating, promiscuity, etc., as a way of coping with the damaging psychological effects of sexual abuse. Sexual violence is a serious problem that affects millions of people every year.
Economic Costs
The economic casts of intimate partner violence in Oregon are conservatively estimated at over $50 million each year, nearly $35 million of which is for direct medical and mental health services (Cost of Intimate Partner Violence Against Oregon Women, 2005)
The total annual costs of intimate partner violence in Oregon also include approximately $9.3 million in lost of productivity from paid work for victims of nonfatal intimate partner violence. (Cost of Intimate Partner Violence Against Oregon Women, 2005)
An important part of the sexual violence dynamic is the way society views, relates, and reacts to the issue of sexual assault. Historically, while attention has gone to the behavior of the victim, much more funds have been allocated to the investigation, apprehension, and incarceration of offenders ($150,000 to investigate, apprehend and associated court costs + $69.00 per day for incarceration alone) + ($150,000 for medical services, loss of productivity, and lost quality of life for victims) = $300,000 for just one sexual offense
Health Related Costs
The health related costs of rape, physical assault, stalking or homicide by intimate partners in the U.S. are estimated to exceed $5.8 billion each year (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2003)
Prevelance
Sexual Abuse of Mentally Ill
1 in 5 women and 1 in 6 males who are psychiatric inpatients reported abuse involving genital contact which was recurrent. (Jacobson, A., 1990)
Girls
1 in 4 girls before the age of 18 will be sexually abused.
Boys
1 in 6 boys before the age of 18 will be sexually abused. (Hopper, 1996)
Women
1 in 6 adult women in Oregon have been victims of sexual abuse. (Oregon Department of Human Services, 2006)
Teens
Youths 12-17 are two to three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than adults. (National Crime Victimization Survey, 2000).
Other Vulnerable Populations
Individuals in Oregon with developmental disabilities, more than 90% of whom are likely to be victims of sexual abuse during their lifetime (Oregon Department of Human Services, 2006).
Pornography and the Internet
Pornography has substantial effects on sexual deviancy
According to a recent called "The Effects of Pornography on Attitudes and Behaviors in Sexual Intimate Relationships", that was released by the Nation Foundation for Family Research and Education found Pornography to have substantial effects on:
* 28% increase in Sexual Deviancy
* 21% increase in Sexual Perpetration
* 21% increase in problems with intimate relationships; and
* 26% increase in acceptance of rape myths were found.
Myths/Facts about Sex Offenders
Myth: Most sexual assaults are committed by strangers
FACT: Most sexual assaults (76%-85%) are committed by someone known to the victim or the victim's family, regardless of whether the victim is a child or an adult.
Myth: The majority of sexual offenders are caught, convicted, and in prison.
FACT: Only a fraction (<10%)of those who commit sexual assault are apprehended and convicted for their crimes. Most convicted sexual offenders are eventually released to the community under probation or parole.
Myth: Most sex offenders reoffend.
FACT: Reconviction data suggests that this is NOT the case. Further, re-offense rates vary among different types of sex offenders and are related to specific characteristics of the offender and the offense.
Myth: All sex offenders are male.
FACT: The vast majority of sex offenders are male (80%). However females also commit sexual crimes.
Myth: Youths do not commit sex offenses
FACT: Adolescents are responsible for a significant number of rape and child molestation cases each year.
Myth: Children who are sexually assaulted will assault others when they grow up
FACT: Most sex offenders were not sexually assaulted as children and most children who are sexually assaulted do not sexually assault others.
Myth: Juvenile sex offenders typically are victims of child sexual abuse and grow up to be adult sex offenders
FACT: Multiple factors, not just sexual victimization as a child, are associated with the development of sexually offending behavior in youth.
Myth: Treatment for sex offenders is ineffective
FACT: Treatment programs can contribute to safety because those who attend and cooperate with program conditions are less likely to re-offend than those who reject intervention.
Myth: The cost of treating and managing sex offenders in the community is too high - they belong behind bars.
FACT: One year of intensive supervision and treatment in the community can range in cost from $5000 to $15,000 per offender, depending on treatment modality. The average cost for incarcerating an offender for one year without treatment is $22,000.