Sexual Offences
Sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse have a
devastating effect on the lives of victims and their families and
inspire fear in local communities. These crimes violate the basic
right of women, men and children to be treated with dignity and
respect, to have control over their own bodies and to live without
fear of sexual violence and abuse.
Home Office statistics reveal the extent of sexual
violence
- 21% of girls and 11% of boys experience childhood sexual
abuse
- 23% of women and 3% of men experience sexual assault as an
adult
- 5% of women and 0.4% of men experience rape
The most vulnerable in society are disproportionately
affected
- Childhood sexual abuse is more likely to be experienced by
children with a disability, children missing from home or care and
children from families experiencing domestic abuse
- Adult sexual violence is more likely to be experienced by
people with a disability, people involved in prostitution, people
who have been abused as children and young women who have been
drinking
It represents a form of gender inequality
- Most perpetrators are male and most victims are female. It is
both a consequence of, and a cause of gender inequality
It causes fear in communities
- Women are more worried about rape than any other crime.
It can cause severe and long-lasting harm to
victims
- Direct physical health consequences of sexual violence and
unwanted childhood sexual abuse include physical injury, sexually
transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy
- Long-term consequences of sexual violence and childhood sexual
abuse include: post traumatic stress disorder; anxiety and panic
attacks; depression; social phobia; substance abuse; obesity;
eating disorders; self harm and suicide; domestic abuse and in some
cases offending behaviour. Childhood sexual abuse can also impact
on educational attainment and school attendance
- 40% of adults who are raped tell no one about it and 31% of
children who are sexually abused reach adulthood without having
disclosed their childhood sexual abuse. This means the victims do
not get the support they need to deal with the abuse or violence
they have experienced
- Where victims do try and access support, it has not always been
available. We need to increase capacity in support services to
deliver services for those who need them
It is an important and dangerous element of domestic
abuse
- Many people believe that adult sexual violence and childhood
sexual abuse is normally committed by a stranger. In fact
perpetrators are normally known to the victim and many are partners
or family members. Rape is associated with the most severe cases of
domestic violence, and is a risk factor for domestic
homicide