
Infographics
Explore our key data and latest trends in identification and response to child sexual abuse in digestible infographics
Far more children are sexually abused than services identify
References: Home Office, Police recorded crime and outcomes 2021/22; Department for Education, Characteristics of children in need 2021/22. *Estimate calculated using single-year prevalence estimates by age group (Radford et al, 2011, Childhood abuse and neglect in the UK today) and the Office for National Statistics 2021 census results. Please note: numbers rounded to the nearest hundred.
Sexual abuse is just as common as other forms of childhood abuse
Where children live matters
Child sexual abuse is prevalent across England and Wales but where children live impacts whether that abuse is identified.
These maps show the average rates within each region; there are wide differences in rates across regions between individual police forces / local authorities.