The Ms. Foundation for Women’s commitment to ending child sexual abuse dates back to the early 1970s when the issue was first being named as part of the early feminist anti-rape movement. Since then, considerable progress has been made: Many survivors now speak openly about their experiences; the media covers abuse cases; and a range of policies, programs and organizations exist to address and remedy its effects.
And yet, the extent to which children are still sexually abused remains staggering. With less than 10 percent of all cases reported to legal authorities, the full magnitude is hidden from view. Conservative estimates suggest one in three girls and one in six boys experience sexual abuse before the age of 18.
In 2009, the Ms. Foundation began, in partnership with the NoVo Foundation, a new initiative to strengthen the movement to end child sexual abuse – one that seeks to prevent abuse by addressing its root causes. In part this means combating widespread misperceptions about how and why child sexual abuse occurs and challenging predominant thinking about the most effective ways to prevent it. For instance, while the perpetrator is known and trusted by the child in as many as 93% of all cases, the myth that strangers are the most likely culprits continues to influence programs, policies and the press. “Stranger danger” is consistently reinforced in media portrayals of abuse and policymakers favor a punitive criminal justice response that escalates fear, uses up scarce public resources, and does little to address systemic and societal issues at the core of child sexual abuse.
In order to realize our long-term vision of ending child sexual abuse, we need a paradigm shift today. To that end, we are bringing survivors, practitioners, organizations and other key stakeholders together to develop the relationships and infrastructure necessary to build a new movement. We’re delivering key resources to encourage new thinking about the root causes of child sexual abuse and advance innovative models for prevention that encourage community responsibility for ending abuse. And we’re supporting organizing and advocacy to bring about culture change and policy change, including work to address the ways in which social and cultural conditions – like our beliefs and practices around power, sexuality and family – perpetuate abuse, and efforts to advance policies that prioritize a social justice, rather than a criminal justice, approach.
May 2011 Announcement:
Ms. Foundation Awards Funds to End Child Sexual Abuse
Complete list of grantees
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