A University of New Hampshire study finds that more than one-third of those who sexually abuse children are children themselves.
The university’s Crimes Against Children Research Center analyzed national police data from 2004 for the study, which was published yesterday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Researchers found that juveniles account for 36 percent of those known to police to have committed sex offenses against children. The juvenile offenders were more likely than adults to offend in groups and at school, and had more male and younger victims.
David Finkelhor, who directed the study, says predators and pedophiles get a lot of attention, but there should be a greater focus on reducing the risk of sexual abuse at the hands of other children.