Three new reports describe experiences of child sexual abuse victims
Children’s Commissioner’s report examines children’s experiences of the justice system
The Children's Commissioner for England has published three new reports which describe the experiences of children who are victims of child sexual abuse.
The studies hear from children who have suffered sexual abuse within the family environment, look at the role of schools in preventing it, and examine the length of the criminal justice process in child sexual abuse.
One of the studies, Making noise: children's voices for positive change, gives an insight into the lives of abuse victims. Commissioned by the Children's Commissioner, researchers from the University of Bedfordshire in partnership with NSPCC interviewed children aged between 5 and 19 who were receiving support for experiences of child sexual abuse in their family.
Previous research by the Children's Commissioner into child sexual abuse has concluded that as few as one in eight victims come to the attention of authorities and that abuse in the family environment counts for two-thirds of all child sexual abuse.
The reports set out some of the significant barriers to support that still exist for children who are the victims of child sexual abuse.
On children's experiences of seeking help and support for child sexual abuse within the family environment:
- Every aspect of a child's life is affected if they experience sexual abuse within the family but appropriate support to address the impact is often lacking with differential access across the country
- Professionals are often failing to pick up signs of child sexual abuse, unfairly placing responsibility on victims to make sure their abuse is identified
- Many children feel unable to disclose that they are victims of sexual abuse
- Many victims of child sexual abuse are waiting months or years before accessing support.
On the role of schools in preventing child sexual abuse:
- Schools are frequently not fulfilling their role in giving children the knowledge to recognise abuse and seek help where necessary, making the early identifications of victims harder
- A significant number of schools are failing to offer pupils lessons on sexual abuse
- Teachers feel confident identifying the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse, but concerns raised with local authorities are much more likely to be acted upon if the child has made a clear disclosure.
On children's experiences of the justice system:
- Increased reports of sexual offences are placing a significant demand on police, the Crown Prosecution Service, local authority children's services departments, the criminal and family courts, and specialist voluntary sector services for victims and survivors
- Child sexual abuse investigations take considerably longer than for any other type of offence, including adult sexual offences, with the median length of time for investigations of child sexual abuse cases is 248 days compared to a median 147 days for non-child sexual abuse offences
- Many victims receive inconsistent advice about their entitlement to therapeutic support prior to court and many are blocked from receiving any therapeutic input
- Children taking part in video recorded interviews after reporting abuse and subsequent court cases overwhelmingly find the experience difficult and often distressing
- Victims of child sexual abuse are facing long waits to find out whether perpetrators have been charged.
All three reports can be accessed from this page.
20/4/17