administrator, or member of the clergy. In short,
an abuser can be anyone who is a member of the
trusted circle of acquaintances. Over 98% of
abusers fall within this category (Sobsey, 1994).
Most sexual predators are men. It is esti-
mated that 4-9% of all men have pedophilic ten-
dencies (Sobsey, 1994). Some of these individu-
als have an insatiable predilection for sexual in-
teractions with children while others transgress
social norms as a result of a crime of opportunity.
Women can also be sexual predators. It is esti-
mated that 2-4% of all women have pedophilic
tendencies (Sobsey, 1994). As in the case of
male perpetrators, female perpetrators are almost
always known to the child and typically are also
members of the trusted inner circle. In contrast,
cases involving female perpetrators are rarely re-
ported. Additionally, a much smaller percentage
of cases of sexual abuse of children with disabili-
ties are reported to authorities than that of their
non-disabled peers. It is estimated that only 10%
of all cases of sexual abuse of children with dis-
abilities reach the attention of authorities
(Garbarino, Brookhouser, & Authier, 1987). There
is a myriad of reasons for this, chief among them
being that prosecutors frequently do not believe
children with disabilities can be credible wit-
nesses, because many children in this population
do not possess the proper vocabulary to testify in
a court of law.
Furthermore, the more severe the child's
disability, the more he or she appears to be vul-
nerable to potential predators. In fact, the chance
is 4-10 times greater for children with disabilities
to become victims of sexual abuse than their non-
disabled peers (Westat, 1994). The sexual abuse
of children with disabilities generally takes place
over a much longer period of time than in the
case of non-disabled children (Garbarino et al.,
1987). In summary, children with disabilities are
at much greater risk of being victimized by sexual
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