House Bill 1041
HB 1041

What is sexual abuse?
 Any sexual act between an
adult and a minor
OR
 between two minors when one
has “POWER” over the other
OR
 when one is three years older than
the other. A minor is ANYONE
UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
HB 1041

Other forms of sexual
assault/sexual abuse
include:
○ Forcing, coercing or persuading
a child to engage in Any type
of sex act.
• AND / OR
○ Indirect or Non-contact
• AND/ OR
○ Communicating in a sexual
manner (in person OR
electronically)
HB 1041
 Another form of
sexual assault or
sexual abuse occurs
when:
○ An individual is
intoxicated or
impaired
HB 1041
-
Noncontact sexual abuse
offenses include:
- Solicitation of child pornography
- Asking someone under the age of 18 to
send you naked or partially dressed
photos of themselves
- Transmission of child pornography
- Sending someone naked or partially
dressed photos of yourself if you are
under the age of 18
- Possession of child pornography
- Having naked or partially dressed photos
of someone under the age of 18 on your
cell phone
HB 1041

Points to Ponder:
 You’ve been warned!!!
○ IF you engage in ANY of these
offenses, you could be
prosecuted in juvenile or adult
court.
○ You don’t get to decide what’s
OK to send. The law has
already established that.
HB 1041

Just the Facts!
 Did you know???....
○ 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6
boys are sexually
abused before their 18th
birthday.
○ In an average size
classroom…6 girls and 4
boys
HB 1041
More Statistics…
○ 1 in 5 Children are
sexually solicited while
on the internet.
○ Nearly 70% of all
reported sexual
assaults happen to
children ages 17 years
old or younger.
HB 1041

Who are the victims?...
 Males and females
 Children from infancy to
age 18
 Any race, ethnicity, or
religion
 Diverse social and
economic backgrounds
 Do not look any different
from other children
HB 1041

Who are the
offenders?...
○ 94% of offenders were
someone the victim
knew
○ 61% of all offenders in
Denton County are
family members
○ 27% of offenders in
Denton County are
‘UNDER” the age of 18
○ 65% of offenders in
Denton County are
between the ages of 18
and 55
HB 1041

Impact of Sexual Abuse:
(Symptoms may appear in one
extreme or the other)
*Changes in sleep habits
*Changes in eating habits
*Changes in appearance, style of
dress, and/or hygiene
*Suspicious and mistrustful of others
*Highly sexualized talk and behavior
*Decline in grades
*Tearful, weepy, angry or hostile
*Nightmares
*Depression and/or anxiety
*Low self-esteem
HB 1041

More facts on the Impact of
Sexual Abuse:
 70% to 80% of sexual abuse
survivors report excessive drug
and/or alcohol abuse
 Young girls who are sexually
abused are more likely to
develop eating disorders as
adolescents
 Males and females who have
been sexually abused are more
likely to engage in prostitution
 Among male survivors, 50%
have suicidal thoughts and more
than 20% attempt suicide
HB 1041

Who should tell?
 If someone is abusing you,
you must tell an adult!
 If your friend has told you he
or she is being abused, tell
an adult.
 If you suspect someone you
know is being abused, tell
an adult.
HB 1041

Who should I tell?
*A trusted adult*
 Parent/Guardian
 Counselor
 Police
 School administrator
 Teacher
*www.choosetocare.com*
HB 1041

What happens after
I report?
 An adult must make a
report to Child
Protective Services
(CPS)
 Local police will begin
an investigation
 The Children’s
Advocacy Center of
Denton County will
conduct an interview
HB 1041
What happens after I tell?...
 Counseling services will be provided for
the victim and his/her family
 A court case may be pursued by the
District Attorney‘s office.
HB 1041
False Reporting: ….What?
Yes, it does happen.
***Falsely reporting sexual abuse (or any
alleged crime) is a criminal offense!
***You can be punished for making up a
claim of abuse or lying about the details to
the investigators!
HB 1041
 Here’s
the legal deal about
false reporting:
 Texas Penal Code 37.08
 ‘False statement to a
Peace Officer or Law
Enforcement Employee’
 Class B misdemeanor
 Punishment: 180 in jail
and/or $2000 fine
HB 1041

Resources and Acknowledgements:
 Children’s Advocacy Center
○ 1854 Cain Drive Lewisville, Texas
○ Phone: (972) 317-2818
 Friends of the Family
○ (provides emergency shelter and counseling for teens
and their families)
○ Phone: (940) 387-5131
○ Crisis Line: 1 (800) 572-4031
-Texas Youth Hotline 1 (800) 210-2278
-Stop it now 1(888) 773-8368
-RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network)
1(800) 656-HOPE
-Darkness to Light National Hotline 1(866) 367-5444
HB 1041
Acknowledgements











Denton County Children's Advocacy Center
Denton County Friends of the Family
Denton ISD Counseling Staff
Darkness to Light National Network
Parentkids.com
Advocates for Youth
United States Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Helpguide.org
American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry
Child Trauma Academy
RAINN