Minors who commit sexual assault Minors are responsible for a large number of sexual assaults. This proportion underestimates the extent of sexual abuse by children and reflects the fact that such situations are rarely brought to the attention of the authorities given that perpetrators under 12 cannot be charged with an offence. Sexual offending, or the commission of sexual offences, is a complex problem, whose causes are multi-factorial. A perpetrator does not have to be an adult to harm a child. Comprehensive Prevention Address sexual abuse as a public health issue. Most minors who are victims of sexual abuse are victimized by males.