A child who is easily controlled by adults is an easy target. Most molesters are known and trusted by their victims and use threats or rewards,not violence, to manipulate children into cooperating. There is no simple reason to explain why some adults sexually abuse children. Through studies of known molesters, researchers have uncovered some characteristics common to many offenders. It is rare that a molester will stop after one victim or one incident.
Many molesters are responsible for abusing large numbers of children.
Some studies show averages between 50 and 100 victims per offender. Many child abusers have trouble dealing with other adults. A child rarely lies about being molested. They are probably already dealing with guilt feelings, especially if the offender is a relative or close family friend. Do not blame the child for what happened.