CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE RISING; MORE PRE-TEENS SEEN AMONG OFFENDERS.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

The Antelope Valley Child Abuse Prevention Council is seeking to start a pilot program aimed at combating a disturbing trend - sex crimes committed by youngsters not even in their teens.

With blame going to the increased sexualization of American media and society, officials said that children - almost all boys - ages 10 to 13 are more and more often becoming the perpetrators, victimizing siblings, neighbors and friends even younger then they are.

``They're unimaginable type sex acts,'' said sheriff's Sgt. Mike Becker, head of the local Juvenile Investigations Bureau, whose detectives say they see 60 cases a year of children sexually assaulting other children. ``You just stop and wonder where they learn this stuff.''

The council, whose members include representatives of local hospitals, the District Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, are considering creating or adopting education efforts aimed at stopping such incidents before they occur, and pushing for legislation allowing court action against young perpetrators.

Legislation being looked at would enable the District Attorney's Office to file charges against sex offenders too young to be prosecuted under present law, while allowing the sentence to be mild.

``We want them to get into the county system and get some counseling,'' said Becker. ``We don't want them to serve jail time.''

At present, psychological programs are aimed at youthful victims, not offenders, who in many cases don't realize that they've done wrong and also are in need of counseling.

Education programs being looked at by the council include an integrated curriculum that would teach elementary school students about respecting others' rights. The curriculum could also incorporate topics including domestic violence, hate crimes, and sexual harassment.

``Kids see domestic violence in their home,'' said Becker. ``The time has come to teach these kids that it's not right to beat your husband or wife, it's not right to hate your brother.''

Becker's bureau was created to investigate sex crimes against children, but now some 60 of its 300 cases a year involve young perpetrators as well. Two years ago, it probably had a dozen cases a year involving child suspects.

Ninety-seven percent of those are boys that seek out girls, 2.5 percent are boys on boys and about a half-percent are girls that victimized boys.

Officials said the perpetrators are not likely to grow up to be child molesters, but are average youngsters whose curiosity was piqued by the increasing sexual content of television shows, movies and other parts of American life.

``Sex is something that surrounds us everywhere,'' said Becker. ``It's seen on a daily basis. It's joked about on television. It's everywhere and it's accepted.''