If You Suspect A Child Has Been Abused, Contact
Mississippi Division of Child Protective Services
1.800.222.8000 or 601.432.4570
Research indicates that 25% of children are sexually abused prior to their 18th birthday. Most children are molested by someone they are related to or know very well; like relatives, neighbors or family friends. One study indicated that 1 out of every 10 men has molested a child.
Despite the high rate of child sexual abuse, only 16% of child victims are able to tell someone that they are being abused and only 3% of sex offenders are caught and prosecuted. Most offenders are able to "get away with" molesting children for years before they are reported to law enforcement.
What these facts tell us is that all parents, caretakers and community members must educate themselves about sexual abuse and sex offenders in order to improve their ability to protect children. It is important for people to understand how "normal" sex offenders look and how easily they can gain access to children, isolate them and manipulate them into thinking the abuse is "ok."
Offenders also make children feel guilty and responsible for the abuse. These dynamics make it very hard for children to tell anyone what is happening to them.