Child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom

'''Child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom''' includes the proliferation of indecent images, online exploitation, transnational abuse, and contact abuse. Efforts to prevent [[child sexual abuse]] include providing information to children and parents, and disrupting abusive situations. Perpetrators may act alone or as part of a group or street gang, and may either exploit vulnerabilities in children and young people or have long-standing sexual attraction to children. Underreporting of child sexual abuse and low conviction rates remain barriers to justice, among other factors. In the UK, high profile media coverage of child sexual abuse has often focused on cases of institutional and celebrity abuse, as well as offences committed by [[Child sex ring|organized groups of sexual abusers]].

'''Child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom''' includes the proliferation of indecent images, online exploitation, transnational abuse, and contact abuse. Efforts to prevent [[child sexual abuse]] include providing information to children and parents, and disrupting abusive situations. Perpetrators may act alone or as part of a group or street gang, and may either exploit vulnerabilities in children and young people or have long-standing sexual attraction to children. Underreporting of child sexual abuse and low conviction rates remain barriers to justice, among other factors. In the UK, high profile media coverage of child sexual abuse has often focused on cases of institutional and celebrity abuse, as well as offences committed by [[Child sex ring|organized groups of sexual abusers]].

Child sexual abuse has been reported in the country throughout its history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/child-welfare-child-protection-and-sexual-abuse-1918-1990|title=Child welfare, child protection and sexual abuse, 1918-1990|last=Delap|first=Lucy|date=30 July 2015|website=History & Policy|access-date=19 July 2016|archive-date=19 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719030746/http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/child-welfare-child-protection-and-sexual-abuse-1918-1990|url-status=live}}</ref> In about 90% of cases the abuser is a person known to the child.<ref name="nspcc_1" /> From the second half of the twentieth century, cases involving religious institutions,<ref name=sherwood /> schools,<ref>{{cite news |title=Teacher guilty of sexually abusing pupil |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/teacher-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-pupil-1-87037 |work=[[East Anglian Daily Times]] |date=9 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702004511/https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/teacher-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-pupil-1-87037 |archive-date=2 July 2019 |url-status = live|language=en}}</ref> popular entertainers,<ref name="Harris guilty" /><ref name="glitter 16 years" /> politicians,<ref name=GuardJul614>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/06/child-abuse-coverup-1980s-lord-tebbit |title= Tebbit hints at political cover-up over child abuse in 1980s |author= Boffey, Daniel |work=The Guardian |location= London |date=6 July 2014 |access-date=6 July 2014}}</ref> military personnel, and other officials have been widely publicised. Since the start of the 21st century, media coverage and political discourse has also increasingly covered child abuse rings or "grooming gangs" operating in towns and cities across the UK, most notably in what is now known as the [[grooming gangs scandal]].<ref name="scandals and silences">Adrian Bingham and Louise Settle. [https://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/scandals-and-silences-the-british-press-and-child-sexual-abuse Scandals and silences: the British press and child sexual abuse], in ''History & Policy''. (4 August 2015)</ref> Efforts to protect children from sexual abuse were recorded as early as the 11th century.<ref name="Walker 2021 p. 22" /> Investigation and prevention of child sex abuse were impaired in the 21st century due to the impact of the [[United Kingdom government austerity programme#Effects|government austerity programme]].<ref name="observer21/10/2018" />

Child sexual abuse has been reported in the country throughout its history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/child-welfare-child-protection-and-sexual-abuse-1918-1990|title=Child welfare, child protection and sexual abuse, 1918-1990|last=Delap|first=Lucy|date=30 July 2015|website=History & Policy|access-date=19 July 2016|archive-date=19 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719030746/http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/child-welfare-child-protection-and-sexual-abuse-1918-1990|url-status=live}}</ref> In about 90% of cases the abuser is a person known to the child.<ref name="nspcc_1" /> From the second half of the twentieth century, cases involving religious institutions,<ref name=sherwood /> schools,<ref>{{cite news |title=Teacher guilty of sexually abusing pupil |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/teacher-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-pupil-1-87037 |work=[[East Anglian Daily Times]] |date=9 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702004511/https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/teacher-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-pupil-1-87037 |archive-date=2 July 2019 |url-status = live|language=en}}</ref> popular entertainers,<ref name="Harris guilty">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/rolf-harris-guilty-the-moment-on-the-witness-stand-he-came-closest-to-convicting-himself-20140701-zsrij.html|title=Rolf Harris guilty: The moment on the witness stand he came closest to convicting himself|date=1 July 2014|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|access-date=1 July 2014|archive-date=30 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630183900/http://www.smh.com.au/world/rolf-harris-guilty-the-moment-on-the-witness-stand-he-came-closest-to-convicting-himself-20140701-zsrij.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="glitter 16 years">{{cite news | url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31657929 | title= Gary Glitter jailed for 16 years | work= BBC News | date= 27 February 2015 | access-date= 6 March 2015 | archive-date= 8 March 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150308101816/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31657929 | url-status= live }}</ref> politicians,<ref name=GuardJul614>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/06/child-abuse-coverup-1980s-lord-tebbit |title= Tebbit hints at political cover-up over child abuse in 1980s |author= Boffey, Daniel |work=The Guardian |location= London |date=6 July 2014 |access-date=6 July 2014}}</ref> military personnel, and other officials have been widely publicised. Since the start of the 21st century, media coverage and political discourse has also increasingly covered child abuse rings or "grooming gangs" operating in towns and cities across the UK, most notably in what is now known as the [[grooming gangs scandal]].<ref name="scandals and silences">Adrian Bingham and Louise Settle. [https://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/scandals-and-silences-the-british-press-and-child-sexual-abuse Scandals and silences: the British press and child sexual abuse], in ''History & Policy''. (4 August 2015)</ref> Efforts to protect children from sexual abuse were recorded as early as the 11th century.<ref name="Walker 2021 p. 22" /> Investigation and prevention of child sex abuse were impaired in the 21st century due to the impact of the [[United Kingdom government austerity programme#Effects|government austerity programme]].<ref name="observer21/10/2018" />

In 2012, celebrity [[Jimmy Savile]] was [[:wikt:posthumous|posthumous]]ly identified as a prolific child sexual abuser over the previous six decades. Subsequent investigations, including those of [[Operation Yewtree]], led to the conviction of several prominent "household names" in the media, allegations against prominent politicians, and calls for a public inquiry to establish what had been known by those responsible for the institutions where abuse had taken place. In July 2014, an [[Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse]] was announced by [[Theresa May]], then British [[Home Secretary]], to examine how the country's institutions have handled their [[Duty of care in English law|duty of care]] to protect children from sexual abuse.<ref name=BBCJul814>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28203914|title=Ex-senior judge Butler-Sloss to head child sex abuse inquiry|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=8 July 2014|access-date=12 July 2014|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507123219/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28203914|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, celebrity [[Jimmy Savile]] was [[:wikt:posthumous|posthumous]]ly identified as a prolific child sexual abuser over the previous six decades. Subsequent investigations, including those of [[Operation Yewtree]], led to the conviction of several prominent "household names" in the media, allegations against prominent politicians, and calls for a public inquiry to establish what had been known by those responsible for the institutions where abuse had taken place. In July 2014, an [[Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse]] was announced by [[Theresa May]], then British [[Home Secretary]], to examine how the country's institutions have handled their [[Duty of care in English law|duty of care]] to protect children from sexual abuse.<ref name=BBCJul814>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28203914|title=Ex-senior judge Butler-Sloss to head child sex abuse inquiry|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=8 July 2014|access-date=12 July 2014|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507123219/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28203914|url-status=live}}</ref>