Sources of Child Abuse

It is important to realise that children may be subjected to abuse by parents/guardians or
other family members, persons outside their family, other children, or those who have
responsibility for their care for one reason or another for short or long periods. We
cannot ignore evidence which suggests that there are people who have sought access to
children through their involvement in sport.

Some facts about abuse:
Abuse occurs across all social classes, professions and ethnic groups
75% of children effected by abuse know their abuser
A child will seldom make false accusations or take back accusations
A child will rarely be moved from the home, it’s usual to remove the abuser from
the situation
Both boys and girls are abused
Disabled children are more vulnerable to abuse, less able to speak about it and
more dependant on adults for their care
90% of abusers are male heterosexuals but women also abuse