Contrary to the dominant view that a pedophile is a stranger lurking among the crowd to hunt a child for sexual gratification, most pedophiles live with the children. And victims include girls and boys. Pedophiles are either related to the child by blood or marriage. Most of them are their own fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, grandfathers and sometimes even mothers and female relatives, though their numbers are rather small.

More children are harmed by the very people who are entrusted to protect them. Sadly, incest hardly gets reported. Those that are reported are just the tip of the iceberg. The denial and attempts by family members to protect the family honor enable the abuse to continue and entangles the child in a vicious cycle of trauma, guilt and manipulation. It’s easier for a well-wisher or a parent / guardian to report abuse committed by the non-related person.