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Child sexual abuse is a huge problem in England and Wales. The Crime Survey outlined that 7.5% of adults experienced sexual abuse before the age of 16.
What is child sexual abuse?
Sexual abuse is where someone forces or manipulates a child into sexual activities. Sexual abuse can take place in person or online, and in many cases, the child isn’t aware of what’s happening.
In law, anyone below the age of 16 is considered too young to be able to provide consent to engage in sexual activity. Therefore, a sexual act is not consensual even if the person below the age of 16 has consented to a sexual act.
Types of abuse.
Child sexual abuse can be a non-contact or contact offence.
Contact
- Touching any part of a child’s body sexually, regardless of whether the child is wearing clothes.
- Using any body part or object to penetrate or rape a child
- Using force to get a child to partake in sexual activities
- Forcing a child to take their clothes off or touch someone else.
Non-Contact
- Exposing or flashing
- Showing pornography
- Exposing a child to sexual acts
- Making a child masturbate
- Forcing a child to create, view or share child abuse images or videos
- Producing, viewing or distributing sensitive photos or videos of children
- Making a child partake in sexual acts or conversations online.
How common is sexual abuse?
A study conducted by the NSPCC estimated that around 1 in 20 children experience a form of sexual abuse.
This number is shocking as child sexual abuse appears far more common than you may otherwise think. Therefore, it’s essential to keep a lookout for the behavioural and physical signs of sexual abuse in your children.
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What are the signs of sexual abuse?
There are both physical and behavioural signs children express, which you should look out for.
Behavioural signs include:
- Your child does not want to be left alone and is frightened of people or a person they know.
- Drug or alcohol misuse
- Noticeable changes in a child’s eating habits
- Having nightmares or bed-wetting
- Changes in their mood, which seems out of the ordinary
- Self-harm
- Using sexual language, you wouldn’t expect them to know.
- Anxiety and depression
- Feelings of shame or guilt
- Relationship problems with family, friends and partners
Physical signs include:
- Bruising
- Pains or soreness in their genital or anal area
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Pregnancy
What to do if you’re child reveals sexual abuse?
If your child opens up to you about sexual abuse, you must ensure you do the following:
- Listen carefully to what they’re saying.
- Let your child know that they’ve done the correct thing by opening up to you.
- Tell them that it’s not their fault.
- Don’t immediately confront the alleged abuser, but explain to your child what you’re going to do next.
- Report the offence to the police as soon as possible.
It’s not going to be easy to hear the abuse they faced, but it’s important to remember that it’s a good thing that they have brought the subject up with you.
What if you’re facing a charge for child sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse is a severe area of criminal law, with the punishments reaching life imprisonment. Therefore, if you’re facing a charge, make sure you handle your case correctly by instructing an experienced criminal solicitor. Our solicitors can provide support and guidance with all of the following:
- Representation during police questioning
- Clear advice on whether it’s in your interest to take a plea deal
- Forming applications for court
- Preparing your case for trial
- Court representation
- Creating appeal applications, where necessary
To book a consultation with one of our criminal defence solicitors, please contact us directly on 020 3007 5500.
Great content! Keep up the good work!