A groundbreaking new report has emerged from a collaborative effort between the Finnish child-rights organization Protect Children and the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) at Anglia Ruskin University, highlighting the deeply entrenched and systemic challenges surrounding child sexual abuse and exploitation in the United Kingdom. Drawing from the voices of 643 survivors, this extensive research sheds light on the harrowing realities faced by victims and the significant gaps in support and prevention mechanisms within the UK’s child protection infrastructure.
This investigation is part of the broader Global Our Voice Survivor Survey, an unprecedented international initiative that has collected testimonies from over 23,000 survivors worldwide, with the UK data subset revealing uniquely distressing insights. Importantly, this survey utilized an innovative methodological framework designed to engage with and amplify the often-hidden narratives of individuals who endured sexual violence in childhood. The result is a comprehensive analysis that not only details victim experiences but also interrogates systemic failings that allow such abuse to persist.
One of the most alarming revelations concerns the paucity of support available to survivors post-abuse. The report finds that more than half of the UK respondents never received any form of assistance or intervention to cope with the long-term emotional, psychological, and physical ramifications of their trauma. This figure is the highest when compared to data from other Five Eyes countries—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States—signaling a critical deficiency in the national response to child sexual abuse.
Detailed examination of survivor disclosures also reveals that the onset of abuse often occurs at shockingly young ages, with over 50% first subjected to sexual violence between the ages of three and nine. The types of abuse reported span a spectrum from inappropriate touching while clothed to more severe forms of exploitation and assault, indicating a complex array of victimization patterns. A staggering nine out of ten survivors identified perpetrators as individuals they knew prior to the abuse, nearly half of whom resided within the same household, underscoring the often familiar and intimate nature of these crimes.
The protracted timeline for disclosure emerged as another disturbing trend. Approximately 21% of surveyed survivors never disclosed their abuse to others, and notably, two-fifths of respondents revealed that it took more than two decades—21 years or longer—to share their experiences. This delayed disclosure phenomenon highlights the profound psychological barriers and social stigmas that surround childhood sexual violence, complicating efforts for timely intervention and support.
Professor Samantha Lundrigan, the Director of IPPPRI, stressed the importance of these findings at the annual IPPPRI conference, emphasizing the need to understand systemic enabling factors in order to devise effective practice responses. She noted that research must be transformed into actionable strategies that create tangible changes in policy and community safeguarding mechanisms on a global scale.
Adding to this discourse, Lea Kamitz, a postdoctoral research fellow at IPPPRI, reflected on the evolving nature of abuse, particularly the rise of online victimization among children. Kamitz highlighted that while much of the data concerns historical cases, contemporary modes of abuse necessitate enhanced focus on digital safeguarding, alongside broader support frameworks that acknowledge the diverse experiences of survivors.
The voices of survivors themselves resound as potent calls to action. Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Executive Director of Protect Children and an experienced psychotherapist, underscores the complexity of healing and the resilience required for survival. Her professional insight reveals that recovery from child sexual abuse is not a finite process but a lifelong journey, often invisible to society, reinforcing the urgency for sustained empathy, investment, and systemic change.
Further contextualizing the issue, Eva Díaz Bethencourt, a human rights lawyer from Protect Children, advocates for comprehensive justice and support mechanisms. She argues persuasively that while past harms cannot be undone, society has a moral and legal imperative to ensure survivors’ recognition, reparations, and to implement preventive measures ensuring no child endures similar abuses henceforth.
The report presents an urgent roadmap for integrating trauma-informed approaches into both prevention and response systems. It reveals that despite the critical emotional and psychological toll on victims, institutional responses remain insufficient, calling for reforms that incorporate survivor experiences as foundational to policy development.
This study also situates the UK’s situation within a global and comparative framework by aligning findings with other Five Eyes countries, providing a lens through which national efficacy in child protection can be evaluated. This comparative analysis emphasizes the need for international knowledge exchange and cooperative policy development to combat the pervasive challenges of childhood sexual violence.
As part of the scholarly contribution of IPPPRI and Protect Children, the comprehensive data analysis and report have been disseminated through high-profile academic and public platforms to foster awareness, foster cross-sector dialogue, and galvanize action. The dissemination at IPPPRI25, the institute’s annual event focused on tackling online harms, itself highlights the urgency of addressing emerging threats in the digital age alongside longstanding systemic issues.
Ultimately, this report is a clarion call for governments, communities, and individuals alike to acknowledge the enduring pain and resilience of survivors and to rally collective efforts to end child sexual abuse. It champions the shift toward trauma-informed care, preventive infrastructures, and survivor-centered policies as essential to creating safer environments for future generations.
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Keywords: Sexual abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Social research, Social surveys, Children, Young people, Psychotherapy, Crime, Criminology
