Child sexual abuse (CSA) is any sexual act between an adult and a minor, or between two minors when one exerts power over the other. It also includes non-contact acts such as exhibitionism, exposure to pornography, and voyeurism. Did you know that the US has more than 42 million CSA survivor's? So why is it so hard for most people to talk about CSA?

One article states that some don't want to talk about it because it affects the lives of people we care about, or it affects our lives because when we do talk about it, it becomes real or the trauma is relived. There are ways to talk about CSA and by using the right tools and resources,  organizations like A Courageous Voice (ACV) can help educate children and adults around this issue, so that children can stay safe on and offline.

Darkness To Light, one of ACV's partners, focuses on an approach that uses social behavior to framework their ideas to prevent CSA. A Courageous Voice uses prevention education in schools and other youth-serving organizations to raise awareness and help children against CSA, among other types of abuse with a large focus about online safety. 

There are many avenues that educate us about how to talk about CSA and yet why are people so afraid to talk about this? The fact is, we see CSA all around us. Do you remember the Me Too movement? Or perhaps on television where shows like Law and Order SVU, or the Netflix documentary about Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, or Athlete A which talks about the minors that were sexually abused by Larry Nassar? Another documentary is The Harvey Weinstein Project and his dominance and narcissism towards young girls who were trying to make it in Hollywood. CSA is everywhere! The United States has over 42 million CSA survivors. These are staggering statistics. We have to start talking about this issue that continues to destroy children every single day.

An article on Stop It Now talks about some of the reasons why people choose not to talk about child sex abuse. One reason is fear of false accusations. Some people believe that they need to prove that an abuse happened before they have the right to talk about it. The second reason is feeling alone in your concern; If we share the abuse, will we face rejection, or possibly be pushed out of our church, synagogues or temples, risk losing our family, or pushed out of our communities? Being shunned and carrying that kind of shame can make it extremely hard to raise our voices around something so personal such as child sex abuse. Shame cause a magnitude of fear that would cause us to not speak up and say anything at all. Over 60% of CSA victims never say a word to anyone until adulthood. 

In conclusion, it's best to always speak up about CSA and use the proper resources and tools to help a child in need. We can speak up as a victim, as someone who suspects abuse, to raise awareness around the magnitude of CSA and use prevention education with children and adults to empower on and offline safety for our children. Our children deserve to have safe and bright futures and having the necessary conversations around CSA can help make that possible.