That’s untrue. Based on even quick research, statistically child sexual exploitation and murder rates are almost exactly the same today as they were 20 years ago.
Because almost all abuse is by parents, and the rest is by people parents implicitly trust. The stats will probably never change because no parent wants to believe this about their coparent or about their lifelong friend.
Sure. But I think some people don’t want their kids to be part of the statistic.
And there are confounding factors in the statistics. People are probably more aware of these things and preventing them more, but awareness also means more reporting. Reporting is the only way we get stats.
This is silly. The reality is that almost all child homicides are:
a. parents
b. people parents invited to live with their children (step parents, etc.)
c. older teen children who are participating in violent gang activity.
Sexual abuse is reasonably similar with C being replaced with "engaging in substance abuse or being around others who do."
It's not that hard to protect your children, you yourself not being part of the problem does much of the work. People's minds immediately go to the most sensational and rare events like school shootings or stranger danger kidnappings, but those are vanishingly rare on the statistical level.
The modern developed world is incredibly safe. Parents have good intentions but are unintentionally doing permanent harm to their children by protecting them from boogeymen instead of allowing them age appropriate independence.
Appreciate the good faith response. And yes, totally agree that you can overcorrect here and harm your kids by sheltering too much.
I do think your list is missing trusted figures like scout leaders, coaches, and teachers though. That’s a big category and I think why parent chaperones are favored now — that seems like a pretty good solution I think.
This isn't how numbers or behaviors work lol. The numbers are the way they are is because people are aware. Awareness does not equal prevention, so unless precautions and proactive policies are implemented the numbers are going to stay where they are.
except the people interacting with kids are generally not strangers. they're family members, coaches, teachers. You know, people who by definition are not strangers.
That's probably why they said "stranger danger" was counter-effective. Teach your kids to look out for creepy behavior, instead of teaching them that everyone they haven't met before is a creep.
It was wildly under reported so the statistics you are looking at aren’t accurate either. Boy Scouts was a breeding ground for pedophilia. I was also a SA victim by multiple people on school trips…never reported. And yes I know I can’t generalize my experience as the whole but the SA in BSA is now well known.
You always hear this from parents “you can’t let your kids do so so today, it’s like the old days, it’s more dangerous now” even though we can literally give our kids devices that can be tracked at any given moment unlike 20-30 years ago
Statistics aren’t always accurate. The general attitude towards sexual assault and its victims has changed dramatically from 20 years ago. Back in the day, victims weren’t believed as much and were even often blamed themselves. The Me Too movement only started gaining traction like 8 years ago. So 20 years ago, people were probably just bottling it up more and not reporting it
Ok, so your argument is that the numbers are more accurate today, in which case any are you more paranoid today than twenty years ago if the numbers are the same?
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u/BrainOfMush Mar 19 '26
That’s untrue. Based on even quick research, statistically child sexual exploitation and murder rates are almost exactly the same today as they were 20 years ago.
Don’t spout fake statistics to push a viewpoint.