A seductive or promiscuous child often is the result, but never the cause, of sexual abuse.

One characteristic common to sexual abusers is a capacity for rationalizing their actions, mentally justifying an illegal, unacceptable, and inappropriate behavior as necessary and alright. Perpetrating the myth of the seductive or sexually promiscuous child by claiming it’s the child's fault is one way of doing this.

Through this type of reasoning, the abuser shifts the blame for his/her actions onto someone else. In the same manner, incestuous parents often justify their own sexual behavior as a way of teaching the child or keeping him off the street. These justifications ignore the abuser's responsibility as an adult, the child's vulnerability and dependency on the adult, and the long-term harm to the child.

To cause a report of child abuse or neglect to be made, or to obtain information on how to help prevent it, please call our hotline number at 1-800-468-8920.

R D Landrum

Ky Multi-County Task Forces on Child Abuse, Inc.