On the 13 January, the UK Government launched the Stop Abuse Together campaign [1]. The campaign aims to empower parents and carers to take steps to help keep their children safe from abuse.
Child sexual abuse is a reality for thousands of children across our country, with at least one in ten estimated to experience sexual abuse before they turn 16.
But we can all play a part in protecting children and getting them the right help. That’s why it’s important to know how to spot the potential signs of child sexual abuse and where to go for support.
Spot the signs:
In 2019 alone, an estimated half a million children in England and Wales experienced some form of sexual abuse.
Most children who are being sexually abused don’t tell anyone about it at the time. So it’s important to look out for signs. You might notice changes in their behaviour, mood and appearance, or be concerned about the behaviour of someone around them.
- Behaviour? – Are they using sexual language or exhibiting sexual behaviour you wouldn’t expect them to know? Are they using the bathroom more frequently, or mentioning pain or discomfort when using the bathroom? Do they have unexpected incontinence or blood in their underwear? Are they having nightmares or wetting the bed? Are they overly tired, restless or on their phone late at night? Have they become secretive about what they are doing on the internet or when out and about? Have you noticed they are frightened of, or try to avoid being alone with, a person or people they know? Have they changed their eating habits? Do they seem to have developed eating issues? Are they refusing to eat or overeating? Are they hurting themselves physically?
- Mood? – Are they unusually distracted, distant or disassociated? Are they exhibiting behaviour that you would expect of a younger child, such as sucking their thumb? Are they unusually concerned or become upset if they do not respond to a message or phone call, or visit someone at a specific time? Are they becoming aggressive, angry or expressing other violent behaviours? Are they talking badly about themselves, saying things like “I’m stupid” or “I’m an idiot” when they make small errors? Have they suddenly lost interest in schoolwork, leisure activities or friends?
- Are the people around them safe? – Is someone around the child acting in a way that is concerning you? Are they encouraging the child to engage in ‘grown up’ activities or activities that you perceive as sexualised? Are they play-fighting, tickling or touching ‘accidentally’ on purpose? Is someone around the child spending unusual amounts of time alone with the child? Are they singling the child out, either to favour or to bully them? Are they insisting on hugging or kissing the child when the child does not want to? Online or offline, have they started hanging around with new ‘friends’, who may be older than them? Do you have a strange or bad feeling about the people around them? Have you seen new phones, expensive clothes or accessories – and you don’t know how they got them? Have they started to use alcohol or other drugs, or started smoking? Have they gone missing from home or school? Perhaps for a short time, perhaps overnight?
- Do they look like they are safe and well taken care of? – Is the child frequently asking to go to the toilet, fidgeting in their seat or holding themselves in a way that indicates discomfort? Have you seen physical injuries, like bruises or cuts? Are their clothes dirty, or do they have a strong body odour? Has the child become pregnant or contracted a sexually transmitted infection?
CALL NSPCC if you need to talk or require advice on 0808 800 5000
If you are a parent/carer please find the direct link to further information for you here [2]
If you are a professional please find further information, including access to the digital pack, here [3]