Child sexual abuse is a prominent problem in Illinois and around the nation. While the greatest percentage of sex crimes against children are committed by adults over the age of 18, child on child sexual abuse is also a significant issue. Knowing more about this crime can help you protect your child from potential perpetrators or take legal action as a survivor.
How the Law Defines Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse?
Child on child sexual abuse is a criminal offense perpetrated by a minor under the age of 18 against another minor. The victim could be younger than or around the same age as the perpetrator. Either way, it is a crime.
Illinois does not have a “Romeo and Juliet Law,” or a close-in-age exemption to its child sexual abuse laws. Engaging in any sexual activity with a child under the age of 17 is against Illinois’s Age of Consent Law and can result in criminal charges.
“Sexual activity” can refer to a child or teenager touching another child’s private parts (or the breasts of a female), kissing or groping, exposure of sexual organs, forced oral copulation, sexual penetration rape, or attempted rape. It may also involve sexually explicit images of children, either by photographing the victim or exposing a child to pornography.
Reasons Behind Child on Child Sexual Abuse Crimes
A child may be sexually abused by another child at school, church, child care programs, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, summer camps, the YMCA, in foster homes, in juvenile detention facilities, or right at home.
Child on child sexual abuse is not the same as innocent play or anatomical curiosity that comes naturally to children. It is an intentional, knowing or deliberate act that is done to achieve sexual pleasure or gratification of either party. It is a crime even if the targeted child gave his or her consent.
Children and adolescents may prey on other children for sexual abuse for a variety of reasons, but in many cases, the perpetrator has also been exposed to some form of child abuse or sex crimes. However, this is not an excuse. The offender can still face severe consequences for this crime.
Who Is Liable for Child on Child Sexual Abuse in Illinois?
Taking legal action for a case of child on child sexual abuse in Illinois is important for multiple reasons. It can highlight safety issues within an institution or organization, such as at your child’s school. This can alter laws and potentially protect other children in the future. You and your child can get a sense of well-deserved justice by holding the perpetrator and potentially an institution accountable.
When the perpetrator in a child sexual abuse case is also a child, his or her parents or legal guardians can often be held liable or financially responsible. Parents are held vicariously liable for the actions of their children. When a child or teen causes harm to another adolescent, his or her legal guardians can be held responsible. If the crime took place at school or another institution, the facility could also be held liable for failing to protect its children.
How a Child Sexual Abuse Attorney Can Help
Child on child sexual abuse is a crime that can be difficult to fathom. If you or your child is a victim of this type of sexual misconduct in Illinois, an experienced sexual abuse attorney can help you seek justice through multiple legal outlets. Taking legal action can be an important step toward healing and recovery.
To schedule a free, confidential case evaluation with a child sexual abuse attorney in Illinois, contact Mahoney Law Firm.