Department of Justice

Education and Prevention

Thank you for visiting the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). On this site, you may encounter information about sex offenders living near you or your loved ones. An informed public is a safer one, and information will help you make better choices. What does it mean to live, work, or attend a school near a sex offender’s residence? What are the real threats to you or your children’s safety? What should you do if you suspect abuse is occurring or has occurred? All of these questions may come to mind as you view the results of your queries to this Website. The information contained on this portion of NSOPW will assist you in learning the facts about sexual abuse and help you protect yourself and loved ones from potential victimization. Below, you will find information organized into three groups:  children, teens, and adults. Each section is prefaced by facts, which are followed by prevention and education materials and additional links to resources designed to assist parents and caregivers.

  

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 Teens

Facts:

• Approximately, 1.8 million adolescents in the United States have been the victims of sexual assault.⁷
• 33% of sexual assaults occur when the victim is between the ages of 12 and 17.⁸
• 82% of all juvenile victims are female.⁹
• Teens 16 to 19 years of age were 3 1/2 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.¹⁰
• 69% of the teen sexual assaults reported to law enforcement occurred in the residence of the victim, the offender, or the residence of another individual.¹¹
• Approximately 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.¹²
• Approximately 1 in 7 (13%) youth Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations.¹³
• 4% of youth Internet users received aggressive solicitations, in which solicitors made or attempted to make offline contact with youth.¹⁴
• 9% of youth Internet users had been exposed to distressing sexual material while online.¹⁵

Warning Signs in Children and Adolescents of Possible Sexual Abuse: Stop It Now! has developed a tip sheet(PDF) to help identify possible warning signs. Any one sign does not mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help.

Behavior you may see in a child or adolescent:

• Has nightmares or other sleep problems without an explanation
  
• Seems distracted or distant at odd times
• Has a sudden change in eating habits
• Refuses to eat
• Loses or drastically increases appetite
• Has trouble swallowing.
• Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, insecurity, or withdrawal
• Leaves “clues” that seem likely to provoke a discussion about sexual issues
• Writes, draws, plays, or dreams of sexual or frightening images
• Develops new or unusual fear of certain people or places
• Refuses to talk about a secret shared with an adult or older child
• Talks about a new older friend
• Suddenly has money, toys, or other gifts without reason
• Thinks of self or body as repulsive, dirty, or bad
• Exhibits adult-like sexual behaviors, language, and knowledge

Behavior more typically found in adolescents:

• Self-injury (cutting, burning)
• Inadequate personal hygiene
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Sexual promiscuity
• Running away from home
• Depression, anxiety
• Suicide attempts
• Fear of intimacy or closeness
• Compulsive eating or dieting

If you have questions or would like resources or guidance for responding to a specific situation, visit the Stop It Now! online help center or call the national, toll-free Helpline at (888) PREVENT.

Materials:

• The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.
  
• NetSmartz Teens: Today’s teens have a knowledge of the Internet that often surpasses that of their parents. Because so many teens are Internet-savvy, it is imperative that they also have an understanding of the dangers that exist online and how to deal with them. Watch teens share their own “Real-Life Stories” about issues affecting them on the Internet, such as cyberbullying, online enticement, and giving out too much personal information.
  
• NCMEC’s Prevention and Safety Education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep children and teens safer.
  
• Teen Victims Project: Teen Tools Sexual Assault Fact Sheet (PDF):  The National Center for Victims of Crime have developed a series of Teen Tools fact sheets, written for teens, about how to recognize a crime, what emotions to expect, and how to receive or give help.
  
• Understanding Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (PDF):  The Centers for Disease Control’s National Prevention Center for Injury Prevention and Control developed a fact and resource sheet to help families understand and prevent teen dating violence.

Additional Resources:

• CyberTipline: NCMEC operates the CyberTipline as a means of reporting incidents of child sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of child pornography; online enticement; child prostitution; child sex tourism; extrafamilial child sexual molestation; unsolicited obscene material sent to a child; and misleading domain names, words, or digital images. The CyberTipline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make a report at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1.800.THE.LOST if you have information that will help in our fight against child sexual exploitation.
  
• The National Center for Victims of Crime is dedicated to forging a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. The National Center's toll-free Helpline, (800) FYI-CALL, offers supportive counseling, practical information about crime and victimization, and referrals to local community resources, as well as skilled advocacy in the criminal justice and social service systems.
  
• If you or someone you know needs help or support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, (800) 656-HOPE, operated by  The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network  (RAINN). Your call is anonymous and confidential. You may also contact a counselor using the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline. The online hotline provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault, their friends, and families. Both resources are free of charge and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you would like to search for a specific crisis center in your area, visit http://centers.rainn.org.

 References

7. Kilpatrick, D., Acierno, R., Saunders, B., Resnick, H., Best, C., Schnurr, P. "National Survey of Adolescents." Charleston, SC: Medical University of South Carolina, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1998.
8. "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
9. "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
10. Bureau of Justice Statistics. "National Crime Victimization Survey." U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.
11. "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
12. Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., Mucci, L. A., and Hathaway, J. E. "Dating Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Associated Substance Use, Unhealthy Weight Control, Sexual Risk Behavior, Pregnancy, and Suicidality." Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 286, (No. 5), 2001.
13. Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., Finkelhor, D. Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006. Available online: http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/publications/NC167.pdf.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.

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