Сhildren Raised by One Parent at Greater Risk of Sexual Abuse

Children who grow up in one-parent households are at greater risk for sexual abuse, according to a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine. The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

According to William C. Holmes, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, children raised by one parent are at greater risk for many issues as they grow up. These include some health risks, for instance poorly-controlled diabetes. Now the scientists have to add childhood sexual abuse to this list of risks.

It was found out that risk for sexual abuse was higher in one-parent homes with lower income than it was in one-parent households with higher income. This shows that better socioeconomic of the household diminishes risk of sexual abuse, but it cannot make the risk disappear.

Why do one-parent households increase risk of sexual abuse?

Dr. Holmes suggests that increased risk of childhood sexual abuse for single-parent homes, irrespective of their income, can be explained by a psychological aspect.

It is quite natural that in single-parent homes a child lacks communication with his parent who has to work hard to provide his or her child with all the basic necessities. Feeling lonely a child of a parent who is almost always absent from home has to look for an adult friend to share emotions with. Offenders find these sort of kids, earn their trust, become their friends, give them gifts and then commit sexual abuse.

Dr. Holmes says predators have an easier access to children raised in single-parent homes with a low income due to the type of childcare facilities that are available to children brought up in such families. These facilities often do not imply proper oversight of who are those taking care of a child.

Holmes believes that the results of the study call for some interventions to help single-parents households, for instance funding of better childcare facilities.