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News Release
Virginia Department of Health
109 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information
Contact
August 9, 2004 Rebecca K.
Odor (804) 864-7740

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RELEASES A NEW REPORT ON CHILD SEXUAL
ASSAULT VICTIMIZATION IN VIRGINIA

(Richmond, Va.)— The Virginia Department of Health has new data on
the prevalence of child sexual assault victimization in Virginia.
According to its new report, Child Sexual Assault Victimization in
Virginia, 25 percent of those surveyed 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.

"These new data show that sexual assault of children in Virginia is a
major public health issue," said State Health Commissioner Robert B.
Stroube, M.D., M.P.H. "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 2003. 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 2003). 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 1-800-838-8238.
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