Medford, Ore — Child advocates say a majority of victims of child sex abuse know their abuser as a family friend, or possible, even a family member.
According to child safety advocates 90 percent of sex abuse crimes against children are committed by someone trusted by the family that often leads to cases of abuse going unreported for long periods of time.
Tammi Pitzen with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County says the center encourages parents to start a conversation with their children at an early age.
While it’s a difficult topic to discuss, Pitzen says abusers take advantage of victim’s silence and the abuse often go undetected until someone says something.
“A lot of times these people will pass background checks, because they have to be caught, there has to be something that happens, someone has to be the first person to tell what’s happened to them,” said Pitzen.
Pitzen says parents should encourage setting boundaries for their children and empower them to say no in uncomfortable situations, even if the person is known to them.
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County will show you how you can start the dialogue with your kids, and what behavior you should look for, if you think your child may be a victim of abuse.
You can find that information on the Jackson County Child Advocacy Center website
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