It’s shocking but true–in the U.S., 1 out of 4 girls will be sexually or physically abused before the age of 18.
The result: 25 percent of the female population of this country suffers the lifelong burden and consequences of being abused. Throughout their lives, through no fault of their own, they face trauma and barriers that they alone may not be able to overcome.
Depression, low self-esteem, addiction, involvement in violent relationships, risky sexual behavior and many other serious issues are often markers of abuse. Moreover, evidence is growing about the link between childhood sexual abuse and teen pregnancy. For example, by age nineteen, 32 percent of young women in foster care report having at least one child as compared to 12 percent of their peers not in care. Read More »
