A year ago, when the Penn State scandal made national news headlines, Kim Cunninghis, saw increased local interest from people calling to be informed on prevention of child sexual abuse. That interest has waned, even though people are more aware that research shows 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused by age The Sandy Springs resident is a facilitator for Darkness to Light , children's protection agency, and has held several training sessions informing parents, educators and adults who work with children on how to recognize signs that a child has been sexually abused.
Although few people attended the most recent Stewards of Children session, held last week in Sandy Springs, Cunninghis was not deterred. It may be that a child is acting differently, or a parent has an uncomfortable feeling about an adult that is around a child. If they do, it is often to an adult other than a parent. Sexually abused children who either keep the experience a secret, or confide it to someone and is then not believed, carry psychological and emotional problems into adulthood, according to Darkness to Light.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Sandy Springs children's advocate Kim Cunninghis said she received more calls on how to recognize signs of sexual abuse in children, last year, after the Penn State scandal, but has less turnout these days for training sessions on the topic.
Adrianne Murchison , Patch Staff. Find out what's happening in Sandy Springs for free with the latest updates from Patch. It's estimated that 3, Sandy Springs children are affected by sexual abuse. Georgia Center for Child Advocacy and Darkness to Light research shows the following: percent of children who are sexually abused are abused by a family member. About 60 percent are abused by someone close to the family. Fewer than 10 percent of abusers are strangers.
More than 90 percent of children who are sexually abused know the perpetrator. Nearly 40 percent of children are abused by older or larger children.
