The first ever analysis conducted by the Office for National Statistics has astonishingly revealed that around one in five adults were abused as children.
The research, which has collected data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, Department for Education, Welsh Government, NSPCC and NAPAC, has considered not only emotional, physical and sexual abuse but also domestic violence.
Data released has estimated that around 8.5 million people aged between 18 and 74 have been abused or witnessed abuse as a child before the age of 16.
Of the 8.5 million people, 2.4 million were women who were the subject of sexual abuse and 709,000 were men. Around one in four women experienced abuse before the age of 16 compared with one in six men.
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) runs a helpline which revealed that around 14% of adults who made contact with them had never spoken out before making this call.
A representative for the Office for National Statistics stated that “Child abuse is an appalling crime against some of the most vulnerable in society, but it is also something that is little discussed or understood.”
By bringing this data together it can be used to help obtain a better understanding of both the nature of child abuse and the potential demand on support services.
Childline, which delivers counselling sessions to children in the UK, confirmed that they delivered 19,847 sessions in the year up to March 2019 where abuse was the main concern.
Whilst this data estimates adults who experience abuse before the age of 16, it unfortunately does not measure the current level of child abuse in the county. However, the report has revealed that at the end of March 2019 more than 54,000 children were in the care of local authorities in England and Wales due to experiencing or being at risk of abuse. Statistics also show that 52,260 children in England were the subject of a Child Protection Order in March last year.
Unfortunately, victims of sexual abuse will suffer significant psychological harm due to the actions of their abusers, and for these victims we realise there is unfortunately no getting away from what has happened to them.
With over a decade’s worth of experience, our specialist team at Farleys understand that by pursuing a claim it can often help clients to bring closure to their ordeal and provide vulnerable resources to fund medical treatment and therapy that they may require.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of abuse or have been affected by abuse, whilst we appreciate that it is often difficult to talk about what has happened our team is experienced and dedicated to speaking with you in the strictest of confidence. Call us on 0330 134 6430 or contact us by email.
