An average of sixty sex offences against children were recorded every day by police in England and Wales last year the NSPCC reveals today.

The statistics which were obtained under a Freedom of Information request from all 43 forces in England and Wales, show under-18s were victims of sex crimes, including rape, gross indecency and incest, on 21,618 occasions during 2008-091.

One in seven of the children (3035) were younger than ten and 1,000 were five and under. In more than three out of four cases the offences were committed against 10 to 17-year-olds (17,091)2.

The statistics show girls were six times more likely than boys to be the victims of a sex crime. And the number of incidents where the offender knew the victim was four times higher than those involving strangers.3

The Home Office gathers data from police forces for its annual crime report, which shows there was a total of 51,4884 for all sexual offences in 2008-09, including both adults and children and only splits the figure to show those over or under 13.
Combining these statistics blurs the picture and even though detailed age breakdowns of victims are collected by police they are not passed to the Home Office.
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This is the second year5 the NSPCC has collected this data and is again calling on the UK Government to publish these details and to clearly link them with the number of convictions and other penalties resulting from the recorded offences. This information could then feed into a national sex abuse prevention strategy as well as helping the development of local services to treat child victims.

NSPCC director of strategy and development Phillip Noyes said: “These figures show just how many children are still being sexually abused every day. It’s a shocking picture – even more so because these are only offences reported to the police. We believe the true extent of the problem is far worse.

“Some of these children are so young they can’t tell anyone what is happening. So it’s vital that adults look out for them and call the NSPCC helpline or contact police and social services if they are concerned.

“Even when they are older some children don’t speak out about the sexual abuse they have suffered because they’re scared they won’t be believed. But help is always available for them through ChildLine.” (0800 1111)

Media office on 020 7825 2533. Out of hours mobile 07976 206 625.

Notes to editors:

1.     The NSPCC asked each police force in England and Wales via a Freedom of Information request. All forces responded. The questions were: 1. How many children (under18) were victims of sex offences committed in your police force area during the year April 2008 – March 2009. 2. Can you supply a gender and exact age breakdown for these victims? 3. What is the relationship of the alleged offender to the victim, if known?

2.     Not all police forces gave a specific age or gender breakdown. Some only gave age ranges.

3.     Nearly two-thirds of the forces (26) provided details about offender relationships.

4.     Source: Home Office Statistical Bulletin, Crime in England and Wales 08/09.

The total number of recorded offences for 2007-08 was 20,758 but one force did not provide any statistics.

Tags: Child Abuse, child protection, Child Safety, ChildLine, nsppc

Watch Marvin from JLS teach children and young people to express their moods through dance on YouTube! It’s all part of the marketing campaign to promote the ChildLine online service, www.childline.org.uk .

As well as these videos, the service is being promoted to online audiences through things like MSN and online virtual worlds. And in the New Year TV advertising will reach out to young people across the UK.

To coincide with the TV advertising all UK schools will receive a mailing pack of ‘how you feelin?’ posters, which encourage children and young people to express how they are feeling and explore the ChildLine website. From mid-January, teaching packs and an assembly presentations will also be available for secondary school teachers to download.

‘How u feeling’ posters and wallet cards can be ordered on FirstStop.

Related Websites

ChildLine website
http://www.charities-direct.co.uk/

http://www.childline.org.uk/Videos/Pages/DanceMoodies2.aspx

Tags: Charities, child protection, Child Safety, Dance, JLS, NSPCC

The NSPCC has had a change of heart over its decision to close its Guernsey operation.

The St Peter Port premises shut on Thursday for the last time with the loss of four full-time staff and a number of part-time support workers.

But the NSPCC says two practitioner staff will continue working on the island.

It said the change of plan recognised the strong representations received from islanders.

The NSPCC’s work in the Bailiwick will also continue through activities such as helplines, training and consultancy

source http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/8409865.stm

For more info on the NSPCC visit http://www.charities-direct.co.uk/

Tags: Charities, child protection, Child Safety, NSPCC

By Alex Steger.

Calls to charity helplines to report child abuse are set to drop by up to two thirds over the Christmas period.

This leaves some children at serious risk of harm according to the NSPCC.

On average around 200 people call the charity’s helpline every day out of concern for a child’s welfare. This figure drops significantly over Christmas.

Last Christmas Eve the NSPCC received 128 calls, a figure that dropped to 72 on Christmas Day before rising again to 103 on Boxing Day.

Last Christmas a number of calls were concerned with children being physically, sexually assaulted or being badly neglected. Three calls were serious enough to need immediate police or social services help.

John Cameron, head of the helpline, said: “Some children don’t get a Christmas break from cruelty. It can happen at any time, any day. But people seem reluctant to report cases of abuse and neglect at this time of year, possibly because they see it as a happy occasion and don’t want to spoil it.

“However, this means some children could be left in dangerous situations when help should be on its way. Hopefully this year people will realise that a child’s safety is more important and give us a call. We are here round-the-clock, 365 days a year.”

For more information on NSPCC visit http://www.charities-direct.co.uk/

Tags: Alex Steger, Charities, child protection, Child Safety, NSPCC

Cases of child cruely and neglect reached record levels, new police figures reveal

Sunday December 20,2009

By Lucy Johnston

CASES of child cruelty and neglect have reached record levels, new police figures reveal.

The statistics, drawn from the Home Office crime data base show that cases of child abuse are at their highest since records began.

Between 2008 and 2009 police handled 6,184 – a three-fold increase compared to 2000 and 2001. The figures have been compiled as part of a joint Sunday Express and NSPCC crusade to demand that child neglect becomes a political priority in the run-up to the next general election. Last week the Sunday Express revealed one neglected child is dying every week. We also showed how the same “failures and deficiencies” behind the deaths are being repeated year after year despite a string of high-profile abuse cases, including baby Peter.

Diana Sutton, head of campaigns and public affairs for the NSPCC, said: “The jump in crimes against children should sound a warning bell for politicians. They must make the same commitment to tackling these crimes as they do others.”

For more information on NSPCC visit http://www.charities-direct.co.uk/

Tags: Charities, Child Abuse, child protection, Child Safety, Diana Sutton, NSPCC

TV presenter and singer, Cheryl Baker is calling for people to turn out their pockets, look down the back of their sofas, and make a New Year’s resolution which is as easy as ABC. People of all ages are being asked to take part and encourage family, friends and work colleagues to donate loose change and raise vital funds to help protect vulnerable children.

Cheryl, mother of twin girls and a long term supporter of the NSPCC said: “The NSPCC does such fantastic work for children and families and I’m really pleased to be supporting the ABC Challenge. This is the perfect New Year’s resolution as it’s so easy to do and with the support of your family, friends, or work colleagues, very easy to keep. If we can get as many people as possible in the area taking part, the results could be incredible – every penny really does count and can change a child’s life.”

ABC, ‘Address Book Challenge’, is a simple fundraising idea designed to raise as much money as possible for the NSPCC at very little cost. ABC is a volunteer led initiative championed by Divisional Vice President, David Clark.

Launched this summer to our local fundraising volunteers, ABC works by individuals placing a cardboard collection box in their home and collecting their small change in it until the end of February 2010.

How you can get involved

Colleagues can also take a box and encourage friends and family to do so. Just one email sent to friends and family asking them to join the Challenge could raise a significant sum for the NSPCC for very little effort.

At the end of the Challenge, all people have to do is count the money in the box and send a cheque to the NSPCC, and that’s all there is to it. The boxes cost just 6p to produce and raise an average of £10 per box.

Tags: Address Book Challenge, Charities, Cheryl Baker, child protection, Child Safety, NSPCC, NSPCC ABC Challenge

Celebrity Chef, Tony Tobin is urging runners who are signed up for the Virgin London Marathon 2010 to add extra meaning to their 26.2 miles by raising money for the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal.

Individuals who have been allocated a place in the main draw for the race have now been notified, and Tony Tobin, who will run the 2010 London Marathon for the NSPCC is appealing for those people to join the charity’s team and fundraise for the NSPCC.

It is hoped that the event will raise near to £1m for the Child’s Voice Appeal, which aims to raise £50 million to maintain and grow the NSPCC’s helplines, text and online counselling services.

Celebrity Chef, Tony Tobin, said: “I am delighted to be part of teamGO for 2010’s London Marathon and fully support the NSPCC’s plans to extend both their vital ChildLine service and their Helpline for adults who are concerned about a child.

“Deciding to set a personal challenge and fundraise is no easy task, however I believe that taking that step and knowing you are doing it to support others certainly drives you forward and makes you determined to achieve your goals. The incentive of being part of teamGO is knowing that the vital funds you raise will benefit vulnerable children and young people and I hope more people will join our team.”

Runners who join the NSPCC London Marathon teamGO will receive a pack which includes:

• Sponsorship forms
• Training advice
• NSPCC running vest
• A chance to meet other team members at a training day
• Regular newsletters
• Dedicated cheering teams around the course to help support their efforts
• Celebrations at our post-race reception and a well-earned massage

Sarah Foster, NSPCC fundraiser, said: “Taking part in the London Marathon is a great event with an incredible atmosphere. Sadly, a third of children who call ChildLine can’t get through to talk to someone. By raising money at this event you will be helping answer many more children’s cries for help so that no voice goes unheard. Please help us by pulling on your trainers, donning your fundraising cap and helping to bring in the pounds for the NSPCC.”

Any runners who are signed up to take part in next year’s London Marathon on 25 April 2010 and would like to find out more about running for the NSPCC, should call Sarah Foster on 020 7825 2621 or email gorunning@nspcc.org.uk

For more info on NSPCC visit http://www.charities-direct.co.uk/charities/nspcc.htm

Tags: Charities, child protection, Child Safety, Gifts For Others (And Yourself!), London Marathon, NSPCC, Tony Tobin

The Your Family website is bursting with news and information for parents and caregivers this month.

Articles include tips on protecting your children from cyber bullying, how to encourage boys to talk about their feelings and information about new government plans to teach school children how to protect themselves from violent relationships. Check it out!

Related Websites

Your Family website

Tags: child protection, Child Safety, Cyber Bullying, helping children, NSPCC

The total amount raised for the Child’s Voice Appeal has now surpassed £20m! As well as this huge achievement, there has been a lot going on with the appeal in the lead up to Christmas.

ChildLine Ball

The “I’m a Celebrity…” ChildLine Ball raised £265,000 for the appeal in October. Comedy star Christopher Biggins hosted the evening alongside other “I’m a Celebrity” stars who attended included ChildLine founder Esther Rantzen, ex-King Joe Swash, Carly Zucker, and David Van Day.

ChildLine online service

The ChildLine online service has now gone live, culminating years of hard work.

For a chance to get your children involved, visit www.childline.org.uk and take a look for yourself at the creative tools and games that children and young people can now use to express themselves.

Jaguar Prize Competition

Jaguar have launched a prize competition with the chance to win the very first new Jaguar XJ to roll off the production line – worth £62,000! Entry to the competition costs £125. While direct employees and trustees of the NSPCC and Jaguar are excluded from entering, please encourage your contacts, friends and family to take part. The competition runs until 25 November and the winner will be announced to the press on 1 December. Find out more about the competition on the NSPCC website.

Dream Auction 2

Dream auction 2 is an online auction during Decemebr of unique and inspirational items, which aims to raise £250,000 for the Child’s Voice Appeal. A huge variety of biddable items have been offered, from a fashion make over with Trinny and Susannah to the holiday of a lifetime in the Caribbean.

Related Websites

The Child’s Voice appeal on the NSPCC website

Tags: Carly Zucker, Charities, Child Safety, Child's Voice Appeal, ChildLine, ChildLine Ball, Christopher Biggins, David Van Day, Dream Auction 2, Jaguar Prize Competition, Jaguar XJ, Joe Swash, NSPCC

ActionAid’s People’s Lottery has been running for over 10 years raising over £6 million towards funding for ActionAid. It gives participants the chance to win cash prizes whilst donating to help some of the world’s poorest people secure basic needs and rights.

The People’s Lottery works by users spending just £1 a week to play, from this 75p goes towards ActionAid and 25p goes to the People’s Lottery prize fund that can be won each week. There are up to 5 winners with the first prize being approximately £2,000.

Contributions made from the People’s Lottery to ActionAid help many people in developing countries like Africa and Asia and around the world to lift themselves out of poverty, by providing help with education, food, equality for women, HIV and aids.

There are many case studies where the work of ActionAid can be seen. Each week we will be providing a little insight to how the donations have helped ActionAid. A case where this can be seen is through a young girl from Haiti:

“My name is Venilia Philippe. I am 14 years old and I have attended Loncy community school since 2001.” In Haiti, where over 50% of children don’t go to school, Venilia is lucky to be in education. ActionAid is helping her school benefit from a book lending programme to help improve education in Lascahobas, one of Haiti’s most deprived areas. “Since the school started doing this, lots of things have changed in my life,” says Venilia. “The problems I had with my grades are now solved, and overall my grades are increasing. I want to thank ActionAid in a special way for the work they are doing to improve education in Lascahobas. We hope that one day they will be able to rebuild our school, so that other children from Loncy can benefit from that privilege.”

Even Celebrities get Involved

Many celebrities now actively support many charities to use their fame to help charities. Emma Thompson has been an ambassador for ActionAid for nearly 10 years. She says; “There’s good aid and bad aid ActionAid gives good aid, communicating with people on the ground who know what it is they need. They only work with people who live or come from wherever it is they’re trying to help. ActionAid supports and sustains them, and puts suitable measures into practice”.

Through being involved with ActionAid projects, Thompson and her husband adopted a Rwandan orphan, Tindyebwa in 2003 whose mother disappeared during the Rwandan genocide in ’94 and father died of Aids. Tindyebwa has been successful and graduated from university and is also studying towards an MA in London.

Help ActionAid

You can support ActionAid’s groundbreaking work for as little £1 per week with the People’s Lottery and help give many people like Venilia, the opportunity to a brighter future.

Tags: ActionAid, Africa, Asia, Celebrities, Charities, Child Safety, People Lottery