Research: Who offends and how often?

The public discourse on who offends and how often is confused by conflicting mythology. Some private organisations that market CSA products towards parents claim that "strangers" are the number one concern when it comes to protecting children from abuse. Government statistics, human rights and sex offender groups paint a different picture. This has been picked up by political opportunists who use the new data to support the equally flawed myth that everybody is a considerable threat to children.

The statistics do appear to indicate that most child abuse is perpetrated by parents. In fact, if exposure times are to be taken into consideration, it may even be the case that parents have an abnormal tendency to abuse or have sex with their children.

• 82% of child maltreatment (or more) involves a parent. 17% is known to involve a non-parent - US Department of Health and Human Services.