The movie "Precious" focuses on the life of a 16-year-old New York City girl who has been physically, mentally, and sexually abused by her parents.
Illiterate and pregnant, Precious finds a way out of her daily trauma through imagination and fantasy.
But Esther Deblinger , Ph.D., who heads the child abuse resource center at UMDNJ, says the life the movie depicts is VERY real.
"Every year, there are at least 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States," says Dr. Deblinger.
She says child abuse occurs in every community, and every racial, ethnic, and economic group.
And there are signs the number of cases is rising, due to the stress the economy is putting on families.
She says the lead character's rape by her father may be disturbing, but it provides an eye-opening lesson about sexual abuse.
Dr. Deblinger, says "Parents continue to believe this is something perpetrated by strangers. And that is not the case. 90 per cent of the time, children are sexually abused by someone they know and trust."
In Delaware, a pediatrician is accused of a long pattern of abusing his young patients.
Dr. Deblinger says there also seem to be more older teenagers sexually abusing younger children.
And, contrary to past trends, they aren't just teens who were abused as kids.
Dr. Deblinger says, "It may be a function of them being exposed to adult-like sexual activities through the internet, through pornography."
Deblinger says children seldomly come forward to report their abuse, because they think they are the only ones suffering.
Tough as it is, experts say parents need to talk to their kids about abuse, so that if it happens, they will know they're not alone.... They can tell someone.... and get help.
