Average age of child sex abuser is just 26

A groundbreaking report on child rape and sexual abuse shows the average age of an offender is 26, over a third of abusers are children, and family members pose the greatest threat to children — not ‘stranger danger’.

It shows a child under 13 is most likely to be targeted for sexual abuse by a family member in their or the family member’s home. But Irish teenagers are more likely to be abused by their peers or somebody slightly older, in a location outside of the home.

The sexual abuse of a child under 12 is also more likely to last for years while the sexual assault of a teenager will be a one-off incident, normally taking place over several hours.