A snapshot of child sexual abuse

Estimated prevalence of child sexual abuse

15% girls and 5% of boys are estimated to experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 16

Bar chart of when abuse started. Long description follows.

The age when child sexual abuse started.

Graphic on CSA being equal in communities. Long description follows.

The likelihood of experiencing child sexual abuse does not vary significantly with ethnicity.

Graphic of victims coming to the attention of authorities. Long description follows.

1 in 8 victims come to the attention of authorities at the time 

Graphic on most likely offenders per gender. Long description follows.

The most serious and repeated offences are most likely to be committed by people known to them. 

Volume of abuse to disabled children. Long description follows.

Disabled adults are 2x more likely to say they had been abused in childhood.

Volume of abuse to those who have lived in a care home. Long description follows.

1 in 4 of those who had lived in a care house reported experiences of child sexual abuse. 

Graphic on CSA images. Long description follows.

92% of child sexual abuse images depicted girls.

Graphic on volume of perpetrators by gender. Long description follows.

92% of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are male.

References: Office for National Statistics: Child sexual abuse in England and Wales, year ending March 2019. Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England (2015) Protecting Children from Harm. Internet Watch Foundation, Annual Report, 2019. 

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More children experience abuse than services are currently aware of

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