Who are the Abusers?

Roughly 83% of perpetrators are 18–44 years old, and while abusers are often a parent or guardian of the victim, more than 13% are not.¹ Additionally, roughly 60% of sexual offenses against minors are committed by someone known to the child but who is not a family member, such as a babysitter or other child care provider.²

Sexual predators do not generally stand out in any particular way. They commonly match societal norms regarding education, employment, and social status. Most are male, but females also commit sexual offenses. One study indicated that 93% of child molesters identify themselves as being religious.³

Perpetrators in the age group 25–34 account for nearly 42% of all perpetrators—that’s the highest rate of any age group.¹

An estimated 85% of perpetrators of sexual offenses or sexual abuse are known to the victim.²

Not all perpetrators are adults. About 35%–37% of reported sexual offenses against juveniles are committed by individuals under the age of 18.²

1 “Child Maltreatment 2019: Summary of Key Findings.” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and Administration of Children, Youth and Families, 2019, https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/canstats/ Accessed 29 March 2023.

2 Juvenile Justice Bulletin. Characteristics of Crimes Against Juveniles. United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, June 2000, https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/179034.pdf.

3 Abel, Gene G., M.D., and Harlow, Nora. ”The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study.” Excerpt from The Stop Child Molestation Book, Xlibris, 2001.