A Louisiana teen was arrested on charges of sexual molestation. The accused teen was 17. His victims were two boys, ages four and seven.

According to the source:

According to Kenner Police, [the accused], who is in the country illegally, was arrested on Monday after an anonymous tip was called into the police station. Police were called to the 700 block of Malinda Court when residents reported two boys, ages 4 and 7, had been molested.

The victims identified [the accused], 17, as the person who forced them to perform sex acts on him.

Police say [the accused] confessed to the crime and admitted to filming the children on his phone.

When police searched [the accused's] phone, they found a third victim, also a minor, who has not yet been identified. https://www.wdsu.com/article/pennsylvania-egg-theft-investigation/63675874 (Feb. 05, 2025).

Commentary

Sexual abuse of children by older adolescents is often overlooked. However, the statistics are clear that older children pose a risk to younger children.

• Studies indicate that approximately one-third of perpetrators are under the age of 18.
• The majority of teen perpetrators are male. In cases reported to Child Protective Services (CPS), 88 percent of the perpetrators are male.
• Teens who commit sexual abuse often know the victim. In many cases, they are acquaintances, friends, or family members.
• Teens who commit sexual offenses are at risk of reoffending. It's crucial to address these behaviors early to prevent future incidents.

In the above matter, the victims were neighbors, and the older adolescent neighbor spent time with younger children in the neighborhood. The same is often said of adult perpetrators - that they spend more time with minors than adults and prefer the company of minors to adults.

Safe adults would ask why an adult neighbor would want to spend time with neighborhood children. Safe adults should also ask why an older adolescent wants to "hang" with younger children in the neighborhood as well.

The perpetrator was also caught digitally recording the acts. This is also not rare. Perpetrators often create videos for their own use or they may sell or distribute them on the dark web, sometimes for profit.

The final takeaway is that much of the focus on child safety is on adults. However, safe adults need to be aware of how older adolescents interact with children as well. 

Additional Sources:  https://rainn.org/statistics/perpetrators-sexual-violence and https://rainn.org/statistics/children-and-teens (last accessed Feb. 17, 2025).