About Statistics

On this webpage you will find references to statistics that describe how common a problem childhood sexual abuse is, who abuses children, and countless other “facts.”

It is important to understand certain things about statistics:

• Often a statistic is repeated over and over as if it is the ultimate truth but the underlying research may not justify that it is a “fact.”
• Statistics are generated from research.
• There are numerous methodological factors which can impact the confidence we should have in a “fact,” including: 
  • How representative was the sample the research was conducted on? The sample is the people included in the study. The more that they are similar to (i.e., representative of) the group of interest, the greater the chances that the findings will apply to the target group. Research on a specific population (e.g., college students or residents of a mid-western town) can be important but may have little relevance to other populations or communities. Official reports to law enforcement may create a different estimate than samples drawn from the general community.
  • What is the quality of the measurement that was used to generate the study data?  If the research involved a survey, how many questions were asked and were the questions appropriate to the study purpose or culturally relevant?
• Variation in statistics or very large estimates tend to create a sense of disbelief in the reader.  

Keep these issues in mind when reading these web articles or any other materials that include data produced through research. Statistics provide an estimate but not necessarily the ultimate truth about a subject. It is important to be critical and understand the limitations of statistics.