Sec. 2. Findings

339 words·~2 min read·/bill/116/s/924/is/section-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Congress finds the following: One in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. Forty-five percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 12. According to the Department of Education, more than 4,500,000 students are subject to sexual misconduct by a school employee sometime between kindergarten and twelfth grade. Research shows that school personnel identify 52 percent of child abuse cases, more than any other profession or organization type. Ninety percent of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser.

Most child sexual abuse can be prevented through education combined with a comprehensive set of prevention policies. Studies show that after educators were trained in child sexual abuse prevention and reporting, they were about 4 times more likely to report than they were prior to such training. Two-thirds of teachers do not receive training in preventing, recognizing, or responding to child sexual abuse, either in their college coursework or as part of their professional development.

Ninety percent of children who are sexually trafficked were first sexually abused as children. More than half of sexual assault incidents happen within 1 mile of the victim’s home. The average lifetime cost per victim of child abuse is $210,012, totaling an estimated $150,000,000,000 annually nationwide. These expenses are largely paid for by the public, including through costs to the criminal justice system, child welfare systems, special education and health care costs, and productivity losses.

Each State has a reporting statute related to child abuse and neglect, which range from statutes that require every adult to report suspicions to statutes setting forth a minimal list of categories of individuals or circumstances that trigger a mandatory report. The silent epidemic of child sexual abuse should not be limited to reporting requirements after the abuse has already occurred. It is imperative that students of all ages, school leaders, teachers and other school employees, and other adults who work with children in a professional or voluntary capacity have a fundamental understanding of child sexual assault prevention training and policies.