Charity reveals child sex crimes
Published 11 Apr 2012 15:41
11 Comments
NEW figures show that more than 1,000 children across the Thames Valley were victims of sex crimes last year.
Statistics obtained by the NSPCC from Thames Valley Police reveal that 1,265 children were targeted - 246 of them below secondary school age - while 69 of them were aged five and under.
Most of the Thames Valley offences - 1,018 - were reported by children aged 11-17 and the figures also revealed that more than 400 sexual assaults against children were reported to police in England and Wales every week last year. Thames Valley police covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, but county-wide figures were not available.
The NSPCC has obtained figures from the police for the past four years via a Freedom of Information request.
Dan Russell, regional head of service for North London and East of England at the NSPCC, said: "The NSPCC is doing what it can by using information like this from the police to tailor our treatment services - different approaches are needed depending on the age of the child. We are also pioneering new programmes across our region to tackle sexual abuse of children, including our schools service, which aims to visit every primary school in the county over two years, so the young
victims can reduce the debilitating affects of abuse and start to rebuild their lives."
Contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
-
S C A R
Unregistered User
Apr 11, 15:49
Report commentThis is hardly surprising considering the current and last government lost tens of thousands of potential criminals through immigration in the past decade alone. Not to mention the fact human rights activists and lefty brigade regularly get sex offenders off serious jail terms to make themselves feel they have a purpose in life. Next!
Recommend?
Yes 3
No 2
-
Shockednot
Unregistered User
Apr 11, 16:21
Report commentThis might seem shocking, but what I find more shocking is that there are no services to support after rape or sexual assault in Reading. If a child does need advice about sexual crimes there should be an easy path for them to follow to get support. Please sign the petition to get services to support men women and children after rape and sexual assault
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/6794
Recommend? Yes 5
No 3
-
HAMHAMsterMan
Unregistered User
Apr 12, 11:10
Report commentShockednot thats what the police are for
Recommend? Yes 3
No 2
-
kbwolf
Unregistered User
Apr 12, 20:53
Report commentwould like to see figures for how many faulse claims were made .....
Recommend? Yes 0
No 4
-
A Mother
Unregistered User
Apr 12, 22:33
Report commentI agree with shockednots comment, I am shocked that there are no services in Reading. I would welcome a SARC center in Reading so I will be signing the petition in support of this. If there were more convictions then there wouldnt be so many rapists out there on our streets, atleast there will then be somewhere nearby to help families get through the process and get the support and help they need.
Recommend? Yes 3
No 1
-
Shockednot
Unregistered User
Apr 12, 22:35
Report commentI thought the police were there to protect us, but with a low conviction rate for rape and sexual assault, there is not much deterrent for the predators that commit these crimes. There needs to be a service to make it easier for victims to get advice, support and to encourage those assaulted to press charges, and if they do press charges support them through the process. As for false claims, do you know how hard it is to get the cps to agree there is enough evidence? Do you know how traumatic it is for a survivor to go through the process? There are far less false claims than survivors walking around with a sense of powerlessness and fear!
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
-
HS Consultancy
Unregistered User
Apr 13, 11:10
Report commentThe greatest injustices are inflicted upon people who feel that their voices are silenced and that they have limited power. That is an absolutely irrefutable fact. One way of silencing the disenfranchised is by creating a context where they 'choose' to not use the power available to them. By focusing in on the issue of false claims rather than outrage at the violations and traumas inflicted on the many, we increase the sense of powerlessness of children and in doing so create a context where it is easier for perpetrators to prey knowing that their victims are unlikely to pursue justice or where perpetrators may actively silence their victims by saying they will not be believed. Our comment is not suggesting that rigorous analysis and intelligent debate about the figures should not take place. They should. However, a standalone comment about false claims without an acknowledgement of the horrific experiences that do occur prioritises doubt and scepticism over empathy and justice. We need services for child victims of sexual assaults in Reading where their voices will not be silenced, where they will be supported in bringing about justice and where they will receive counselling and support to help victims live a fulfilling life and contribute to a society that protects its most vulnerable.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 0
-
circles
Unregistered User
Apr 13, 15:56
Report commentAt KBWolf - the most important thing to a genuine victim is that we are BELIEVED - how dare you want statistics for false claims!!!! I was raped last year (at the age of 40+) and told by the police it was his word against mine...... he is now under arrest and has been raping since 1979!!!!!! I was also abused from the age of 9 and raped at 13 but too scared to say anything as he was known to my family. However as a woman I'm still scared but have life experience and strength to fight on.
Have you been a victim of any such offences in your life? The only excuse I could accept from you is that you were falsely accused of something? Please explain why else you could put such an offensive comment?
Recommend? Yes 7
No 0
-
Jode
Unregistered User
Apr 19, 11:52
Report commentNothing will change until children feel safe enough to disclose what's happening to them. The whole system fails and that is like a double abuse of trust. The jail terms are ridiculously small when you consider a whole life could have been ruined. This country needs to wake up to sex offenders and the damage its causing to our children, men and women alike. We hear day in day out on the news about war here and famine there but what about our kids? What about the secret suffering that goes on and the mental illness that can take over their lives? It makes me deeply sad in 2012 that its still so swept under the carpet. I hope I live to an age to see a day when real sentences are given which reflect the true trauma caused, especially for repeat offenders!
Recommend? Yes 4
No 0
-
CRASAC
Unregistered User
Apr 19, 12:37
Report commentThe Rape Crisis Freephone Helpline number is 0808 802 9999 and is open between 12 - 2.30pm and 7 - 9.30pm every day of the year.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
-
CRASAC
Unregistered User
Apr 19, 12:47
Report commentThere is also a Rape Crisis Centre in Reading, Helpline is 01734 575577. Wed 7pm-10pm Sun 7:30pm-10:30pm Other times answerphone.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
