RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia Department of Health announces the release of a new report on the prevalence of child sexual assault victimization in Virginia. According to the report, “Child Sexual Assault Victimization in Virginia,” 25 percent of those surveyed said they were sexually victimized as children under age 18. Twenty-seven percent of the women and 20 percent of the men surveyed said they were sexually victimized at ages younger than 18.

“This new information indicates that sexual assault of children in Virginia continues to be a major public health concern,” said State Health Commissioner Robert B. Stroube, MD, MPH. “We are working diligently to raise the public’s awareness of the issue and to train local human service providers to recognize and prevent sexual violence and coercion.”

According to the new report, more than half of women who were victimized experienced sexual assault before the age of 13, as did 39 percent of men. Almost half (43 percent) of the perpetrators were identified as family members. Only 10 percent of perpetrators were strangers and only 10 percent of the child victims reported the assault to law enforcement.

The new report also reveals that 71 percent of assaults against children were perpetrated by adults. Eighty-five percent of 13 and 14 year-olds who reported having non-forced sexual intercourse would be classified under Virginia law as victims of carnal knowledge of a minor (Code of Virginia §18.2-63).

“Adults having sex with minors is clearly a concern,” said Rebecca K. Odor, MSW, director of violence prevention at the Virginia Department of Health.

This new report is the second produced as the result of a survey of sexual assault prevalence conducted for the Virginia Department of Health by Virginia Commonwealth University in . The telephone survey involved interviews with 1,769 women and 705 men age 18 and older. The first report of this survey is titled Prevalence of Sexual Assault in Virginia (April ). Its finding of the high prevalence of sexual assault in Virginia prompted further analysis and publication of the second report.

The Virginia Department of Health addresses the issue of sexual assault of children through its sexual violence prevention program, which funds local sexual assault centers to provide education and training in the local communities. Also, its Statutory Rape Awareness Initiative promotes public awareness campaigns and provides training and resources that addresses adult sex with minors. The initiative recently launched its “Isn’t She a Little Young?” media campaign targeting adults who have sex with minors.

Both reports are available online at www.vahealth.org/civp/sexualviolence. The Virginia Family Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline offers services to victims of sexual violence, along with additional resources, at .

Source: Virginia Department of Health