Reports of Sexual Abuse Against Children Are On the Increase in the UK

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Child abuse in the UK has increased in all four countries between 2013/14 and 2014/15. The most common form of abuse is neglect, however child sexual abuse forms a significant proportion of reported cases.

In a report by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), a charity campaigning and working in child protection in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, increases in child sexual abuse were reported in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The report entitled, “How Safe Are Our Children”, was published in 2015.


Recent statistics indicate that the most common form of abuse against children across the UK is in fact neglect. The number of children dying as a result or murder or assault, is declining.


The number of sexual offences recorded against children increased in all four countries in the UK between 2013-2014. The rate of increase varied between 12% – 39%. Researchers have inferred that the increase could also be do to the increased willingness to report an offence following the high profile arrests that have been reported across the media. Further reporting in the media has highlighted abuse particularly in institutions such as schools, boarding schools, hospitals, religious organisations and cultural organisations.


Malcolm Underhill, a child abuse lawyer based in London discusses the issue of abuse in UK schools in a recent video presentation.


See : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIEKW5m8nE0


Support and Compensation For Victims


Despite the increase in reports of sexual abuse in children in the UK, clinical and therapeutic support for abuse victims is facing limited funding – despite the fact that early psychological, and therapeutic intervention improved patient outcomes.


Due to the limited resources of the NHS, victims of abuse (either as a child or adult) could obtain financial compensation to provide funding for specialist child abuse therapists, psychiatrists and other medical professionals. For advice on making a compensation claim for child abuse – current or historic see:


http://www.isurvive.org/1232/a-guide-to-seeking-ju…


Different Faces of Child Sexual Abuse


As well as direct contact with a young victim, sexual abuse of children could include exposure to pornography, indecent exposure, grooming, online communication and texting. Police recorded 36,429 sexual offences against children in the UK in 2013/14. Between 2009/2010 and 2014/2015 the main reason for children to contact the NSPCC helpline was neglect. The increase in calls to the helpline between this period for neglect was 228%, for physical abuse the increase was 176% and for sexual abuse the increase was 128%.


Release ID: 90702