2.  “Child abuse is most often committed
by strangers” (Class notes, week 3).
 However, this is not true. Many children
being abused know their abuser. For
instance, “people that are most likely to
abuse children are the people that have
access to them” (Class notes, week 3).

3.  “Children fabricate  Fact: Children do
stories about sexual not make up such
abuse” (Class notes, stories. For example,
week 3). “children do not
have the cognitive
capabilities to
describe incest or
intimate sexual
behavior unless
they’ve been
exposed to it” (Class
notes, week 3).

4.  “Incest only occurs  Incest can occur in
in lower income any household and
families. Incest only in any city. It does
occurs in large cities not have a specific
(or incest only occurs cut off in terms of
in rural areas)” (Class economic,
notes, week 3). education, or status.
 It happens
everywhere. (Class
notes, week 3).

5.  “Girls are the only  This is not always the
victims of child case. Even though
sexual abuse or men “are the
incest. Men are offenders in the
always the majority of reported
perpetrators” (Class cases, the
notes, week 3). perpetrator of sexual
abuse can be either
a man or a woman”
(Class notes, week
3).

6.  “The child is at fault  Children are not to
for encouraging or be blamed for sexual
allowing the abuse. abuse.
A sexual abuser can  For example,
be the victim of a “children are not
seductive or sexually legally or cognitively
promiscuous child” capable of giving
(Class notes, week informed consent”
3). (Class notes, week
3). Thus, they cannot
possibly encourage
such behavior.

7.  “Only homosexuals  This is not the case,
abuse children of many times abusers
their own gender. choose a victim that
Children who are is an easy target.
abused by someone  “ There is no
of their own gender connection between
will group up to be sexual orientation
homosexual” (Class and sexual abuse”
notes, week 3). (Class notes, week
3).

8. Know the facts and speak out against
childhood sexual abuse. We all need to
protect our children against any form of
abuse. Here is your chance to do so. Start
now

9.  Class notes, Myths and Facts about child abuse. Week 3
 Image of banner. Retrieved from
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/13/1069039/-Tree-
Climbers-The-Media-Continues-to-Get-it-Wrong
 Sexual Abuse image 1. Retrieved from
http://postnoon.com/2012/06/24/child-sexual-abuse-a-
bitter-truth/55316
 Image of Family. Retrieved from clipart.
 Child holding stop sign. Retrieved from
http://morethanatoy.com/blog/3-great-books-prevent-
child-sexual-abuse
 Speak out image. Retrieved from
http://www.westerncape.gov.za/eng/pubs/public_info/D/
267724.