Press Release

15 May 2006

The NSPCC today launches Don't hide it a major initiative against child sexual abuse as latest figures from ChildLine reveal rape is the type of sexual harm most reported to it by children.

Over eight and a half thousand (8637) calls about sexual abuse were made last year to ChildLine, the 24-hour helpline for children and young people run by the NSPCC. And for the first time, just over half of these calls (51%) were about rape.

Nearly four and a half thousand (4414) distressed children and young people called ChildLine over 2004/2005 describing rape. They included:

• 842 by their natural father
• 421 by a stranger
• 285 by a boyfriend
  

In all, 86 per cent of the reported rapists were known to the child. Eight in ten (80%) of reports were made by girls.

NSPCC director Mary Marsh said: "A child calls ChildLine on average once every hour to talk about rape and other types of sexual abuse."

"Children have phoned in to talk in confidence about having been raped in toilets, phone-boxes, cars, bedrooms, bushes, parks and elsewhere."

"As terrible as these calls are, the children who phone are those who have found the strength to speak out. Many others feel unable to do this. NSPCC research shows one in six children will be sexually abused before they reach their sixteenth birthday but nearly three quarters (72%) tell no-one about it at the time**."

Don't hide it is the NSPCC's latest drive as part of its FULL STOP Campaign urging children to speak out on all forms of sex abuse. The NSPCC has set up a new website, www.donthideit.com to help young people build confidence and find out more about this abuse and understand that abuse is never their fault. The site will act as a safe online 'community' where they can talk about sex abuse and learn how it can be stopped.

Don't hide it will reach millions of 11 - 16 year olds over the next six weeks through teen magazines, online web sites, radio programmes and TV channels. It will urge those facing sex abuse of whatever kind to speak to someone they trust e.g. a parent/carer, another relative, a friend, a teacher, or a friend's parent, or to visit www.donthideit.com to phone ChildLine on 0800 1111 or text Advice to 60022. It will also help young people know what to do if their peers are facing this issue.

A new film and print ads showing 'false face' masks hanging in children's rooms will encourage young people to visit the site. The masks, which look like real faces, illustrate how many children keep sex abuse a secret. The ads advise "If you are being sexually abused, you don't have to hide it anymore."

The NSPCC is calling on the Government to provide therapeutic services for all children who have suffered sexual abuse and would like help. The charity is mobilising its 60,000 partners-in-campaigning to call for action.

Don't hide it will be launched to parliamentarians at the House of Commons on Tues 16 May. The event will highlight the lack of therapeutic services for sexually abused children and explain why this support is so desperately needed.

The NSPCC runs 39 therapeutic services for children who have suffered all types of abuse. The majority of the requests for service taken on by the NSPCC are sex abuse-related (almost 3000 a year) and demand on the services is more than can be met.

It has been estimated that 90 per cent of children who have experienced sexual abuse receive no substantial support.*

Mary Marsh continued: "Children calling ChildLine have reported being fondled, groped, stripped and touched indecently. Some have been made to watch pornography or adults having sex."

"Some calls about sex abuse included details of being hit, punched, belted, tied up, held at knifepoint and being plied with drugs. Young people told of how hard it was to speak out it, and how they were threatened not to tell."

Mary Marsh continued: "Through Don't hide it we want to help children know that all sex abuse is wrong, whoever is doing it. And we want to reassure those being abused that they are not alone, that it is never their choice and it is not their fault. Although there are not always easy solutions, there are people who can help. Speaking out is the first step."

Watch the Video News Release (highband version)
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View the online advertising (highband version)
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Listen to the Radio adverts

Media coverage
Listen to the BBC Radio 4 Women's Hour podcast about rape of under 16s
View the Channel 4 report about children who abuse other children

Celebrity statements
See what our celebrity supporters have to say about Don't hide it

Media office: 020 7825 2712 out of hours mobile 07976 206 625

Notes to editors

Sexual abuse occurs when a child or young person is forced or enticed to take part in sexual activities by an adult or other young person. Abuse takes place, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

NSPCC research**also shows that

• One in five of girls (21%) and one in ten boys (11%) are sexually abused before they reach the age of 16. The abuser is almost always male.
• One per cent of children and young people are sexually abused by a parent and another three per cent by another relative during childhood (most likely a brother or step-brother).
• Sex abuse includes penetration of a child's mouth, vagina or anus by a penis (rape), penetration by a part of abuser's body or another object, sexual touching, masturbation, indecent exposure, use of children in or showing children pornographic films or pictures, encouraging or forcing children into prostitution or encouraging or forcing children to witness sexual acts (Sex Offences Act 2003).
  28,994 individuals***are currently registered as sex offenders (against both children and adults) in the UK.

*Baginsky, M (eds) (2000), counselling and support services for young people aged 12-16 who have experienced sexual abuse: a study of the provision in Italy, the Netherlands and the UK, NSPCC
**Cawson et al. 2000 Child Maltreatment in the UK: A Study of the Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect, NSPCC *** http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk

NSPCC services to prevent sexual abuse against children

As part of its FULL STOP campaign the NSPCC operates a range of projects and initiatives to reach out to the many victims of sexual abuse and sexual violence, many who often do not come to the attention of child protection authorities. These include: - Young People's Centres around England, Wales and Northern Ireland which provide accessible places where young people can share their worries and feel safe and confident enough to ask for help or report abuse - Community based projects which provide therapeutic services for sex abuse victims and tackle inappropriate behaviour and sexual abuse among children and young people - ChildLine is the NSPCC's free UK 24hr helpline for children in trouble or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people. Children call ChildLine about a wide range of problems, but the most common problems are abuse (both sexual and physical), bullying, family relationships, worries about friends' welfare and teenage pregnancy. Calls are free to children calling 0800 1111 from anywhere in the UK - but ChildLine pays for every call. Lines can be busy, but ChildLine urges children to keep trying and they will get through.

Calls to ChildLine about sexual abuse

(Identifying details have been changed to protect callers' identities)

David (10) told his ChildLine counsellor: 'My dad sometimes takes me out after school. Mum doesn't know but he always comes with another man and they touch me. It hurts, but I can't stop them. Dad said he will kill mum if I tell anyone.'

Tracey (14) said: 'I'm calling about my dad.' There was a long pause, and then she said: 'My dad does things to me. I don't like it. It's been going on for a year when my mum goes out to work. It makes me feel dirty.' She hadn't told anyone at all about it before.

Kelly (15) rang to say that her mum's boyfriend was 'coming on to her'. She said: 'I told my mum, but she said that I was leading him on.' Kelly went on to say that she was really frightened about what would happen when he came home later that night. With Kelly's permission, the counsellor contacted social services on her behalf, and they arranged for her to stay with relatives. ChildLine subsequently heard that social services and the child protection team were undertaking an investigation into Kelly's situation.

Emma (16) said: 'My mum and dad make me have sex with men for money. My dad takes my clothes off and then the men jump on me. I tried to get away once but my dad dragged me back by my hair.' Emma had informed the police about what was happening to her but she said they did not believe her. She said that she had bruises on her arms, legs and face because of being forced to have sex.

Fourteen-year-old Marie had run away from home and called ChildLine about her dad, who had been sexually abusing her since she was 11. Every time it happened he told her 'if you tell anyone I'm going to kill you'. She wanted to tell her mum what was happening but was afraid of what her mum might do. Marie had run away from home several times before, but always went back because: 'I've got no money and I don't know where to go anyway.' Marie agreed that the police could pick her up from the phone box.

Source: NSPCC