Thousands of child sexual offences recorded in Scotland
- Data from Police Scotland shows that 5,557 sexual offences against under-16s were recorded in 2022/23.
- Across the UK, almost 87,000 child sexual offences were recorded by police in this period.
- Types of offences included rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming and indecent communication.
- To help tackle this issue, the NSPCC Helpline and the Home Office are launching a campaign to encourage adults to reach out with concerns of child sexual abuse.
New figures compiled by the NSPCC reveal that child sexual offences recorded over the past year by police across the UK and in Scotland remain close to record levels.
The Freedom of Information data totalled 86,962 child sexual offences recorded by police across the UK in 2022/23, which remains one of the highest on record since the charity started the annual research 16 years ago.
In Scotland, 5,557 child sexual offences were recorded by Police Scotland in 2022/23 – close to the record levels recorded in the previous year (5,640).
Types of offences included rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming and indecent communication.
This comes as the NSPCC launches a new campaign in partnership with the Home Office to tackle child sexual abuse.
Together they are encouraging the public to contact the charity’s UK adult Helpline if they are concerned that a child could be at risk. The partnership will also encourage people to report on instances where there are concerns that a child might be experiencing sexual abuse.
The Home Office is providing funding for the NSPCC Helpline to increase capacity and to raise awareness of the service to the public and professionals.
The NSPCC has also created two films promoting the new campaign. These films show how adults can use the Helpline to share any concerns they may have about a child’s safety or welfare. One of these films is tailored to professionals, and the other reaches out to the general public.
The NSPCC Helpline is the charity’s free advice line for any adult who may have concerns about a child, including professionals who work with children.
The Helpline’s dedicated child protection specialists can advise on a wide range of issues. Adults can contact the Helpline for guidance and support on issues affecting children, as well as for cases of suspected child abuse. People should always contact 999 if they suspect a child is in immediate danger.
One parent in Scotland told the Helpline*: “My son has been a victim of scammers online. He’s so withdrawn and hardly sleeping.
“He believed he was talking to a girlfriend online, the same age as him, and ‘she’ convinced him to send explicit images of himself. These were actually adult male scammers who are now demanding money from him, or they’ll leak his pictures.”
The NSPCC also operates a dedicated Whistleblowing Helpline, which can be contacted for any concerns around child protection issues within the workplace, or other professional organisations.
Childline, the charity’s free child counselling service, hears directly from children on the impact sexual abuse can have on their lives.
One young person in Scotland aged 15 told Childline*: “Today I told a friend about a family member sexually abusing me and it felt like such a weight off my shoulders. I was so young when it started and they’re still in my life; it’s confusing when they’re a normal family member to everyone else. I
“t has caused a lot of tears and self-hate. It’s scary talking about it but I knew I needed to tell someone like Childline.”
The NSPCC is calling on the general public, including those who work with children, to use the Helpline to express any concerns they may have regarding a child, even if they are not certain. In doing this, every person can play a part in keeping children safe from sexual abuse.
Kam Thandi, Helpline Director at the NSPCC, said: “The high numbers of child sexual offences being reported by the police in Scotland and across the UK are a warning to us all that more must be done to tackle this abuse.
“This new Helpline campaign, in partnership with the Home Office, will encourage the general public and professionals to reach out with concerns about child sexual abuse. All of us must play our part in protecting children.
“The Helpline deals with concerns about children, no matter how big or small, and we’re encouraging adults to contact us. What is shared could be life-changing for a child experiencing sexual abuse.”
Any adults concerned about a child’s safety or wellbeing can contact the NSPCC helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk or by calling 0808 800 5000. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.