Two social workers looking at an infographic in a printed briefing document

Infographics

Explore our key data and latest trends in identification and response to child sexual abuse in digestible infographics

Infographic which shows an illustration of an iceberg partially submerged in water. The title says 'Far more children are sexually abused than services identify'. Above the water, the graphic says '2,190 children on a child protection plan due to child sexual abuse (England)', '43,890 children assessed as being at risk of sexual abuse (England)', and '103,550 child sexual abuse offenses recorded by the police (England and Wales)'. Below the water, the graphic says "500,000 children are estimated to experience in-person contact sexual abuse every year'.

We must formally recognise that children represent a significant proportion of victims and ensure their specific needs are met with sufficient and appropriate support.

Concerns of sexual abuse are far less likely to be identified and named than other forms of abuse and neglect

Line graph titled 'Number of child protection plans by form of abuse,' showing four trends from 1993/94 to 2024/25. Neglect and emotional abuse have both risen substantially over the period: neglect climbs steadily to end highest at 30,500, while emotional abuse rises even more sharply, overtaking physical and sexual abuse in the mid-2000s, to end at 23,100. Physical abuse has stayed relatively flat, ending at 4,830. Sexual abuse started as one of the higher categories in 1993/94 but has declined fairly steadily since records began, ending lowest of the four at 2,190.

References: Department for Education, Characteristics of children in need 2024/25.

Two donut charts. The first shows 1 in 3 (a third of the circle shaded dark purple): of those who were abused or neglected in childhood, 1 in 3 said that abuse included sexual abuse. The second shows 1 in 6 (a sixth of the circle shaded dark purple): 1 in 6 assessments containing neglect or abuse concerns included child sexual abuse or exploitation.

References: Office for National Statistics, Abuse during childhood in England and Wales, March 2024. Department for education, Characteristics of children in need, 2024/25.

Where children live matters

Map of England and Wales titled 'Number of child sexual abuse offences recorded by police,' shaded by region using a graduated scale from under 6 to 12+ offences per 1,000 children (darker shading indicating higher rates). Two regions are highlighted with callouts: the North East has the highest rate shown, at 13.2 per 1,000 children, while London has a lower rate, at 4.9 per 1,000 children. Other regions across England and Wales fall at varying points along the scale between these two figures

References: Home Office, Police recorded crime and outcomes 2024/25

Map of England titled 'Children identified at risk of child sexual abuse in local authority assessments,' shaded by region using a graduated purple scale from 2.5+ to 4.5+ per 1,000 children (darker shading indicating higher rates). Two regions are highlighted with callouts: Yorkshire and the Humber has the highest rate shown, at 4.9 per 1,000 children, while the East of England has a lower rate, at 2.6 per 1,000 children. Other regions fall at varying points along the scale between these two figures.

References: Department for Education, Characteristics of children in need 2024/25. Includes assessments recording concerns of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Child sexual abuse is prevalent across England and Wales but where children live impacts whether that abuse is responded to.

These maps show the average rates within each region; there are wide differences in rates across regions between individual police forces and local authorities.

More child sexual abuse offences are reaching the criminal justice system, but court cases are taking longer to conclude

Infographic showing rising child sexual abuse statistics over a ten-year period, illustrated with four upward arrows of increasing size. Police-recorded child sexual abuse offences rose 150%, from 41,487 to 103,547. Charges for child sexual abuse offences rose 50%, from 9,347 to 14,042. Defendants prosecuted for child sexual abuse offences rose 45%, from 7,424 to 10,791. People imprisoned for child sexual abuse offences rose 45%, from 7,028 to 9,722 (prison population snapshots as of June 2015 and June 2025).

References: Home Office, Police recorded crime and outcomes 2024/25: Ministry of Justice, 2023 and 2024; FOI request. Ministry of Justice Criminal Justice System Statistics, Outcomes by Offence data tool, 2024; Ministry of Justice: Prison population annual data June 2025. Figures give an average between a charge/summons and conclusion at court.

Infographic comparing average time from charge to completion at court, shown as two stacks of calendar-style cards. In 2020/21, the average was 252 days. In 2024/25, the average was 375 days. Caption: the time taken for a case to progress from charge to completion has increased by 39%.

References: Home Office, Police recorded crime and outcomes 2024/25: Ministry of Justice, 2023 and 2024; FOI request. Ministry of Justice Criminal Justice System Statistics, Outcomes by Offence data tool, 2024; Ministry of Justice: Prison population annual data June 2025. Figures give an average between a charge/summons and conclusion at court.

What we know about support provision