Child Sex Abuse Cases Up in Fairfax Co.

Fairfax County saw the number of child sex abuse cases reported more than double last month compared to December 2010, the county reportedrecently . In December 2011, the Fairfax County Police Department Child Abuse Squad saw 39 reports of child sex abuse versus 19 in December 2010.

In all last year, the squad handled 329 cases covering child rape, sodomy, aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a juvenile, the county reported.

The number could be even higher. Although child sexual abuse is reported almost 90,000 times a year nationally, the numbers of unreported abuse is far greater because the children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedure for validating an episode is difficult, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

According to Childhelp, a national organization dedicated to helping victims, more than 90 percent of juvenile sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator in some way.

It's a serious topic that's difficult for many to discuss. Fairfax County will host an online discussion for families, teachers and anyone else whose job or volunteer work puts them in close contact with children, on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 10-11 a.m. You can submit your questions ahead of time here.

Two detectives from the FCPD and an expert from the Office for Women & Domestic and Sexual Violence Services will be on hand to answer concerns and offer resources on where to get help.