What is the legal definition of a child?
A child is anyone under the age of 16 for the purposes of laws around sexual offences. However when it comes to sexual images, a child is someone under the age of 18.
This is also affected by abuse of power (teachers, sport coaches etc) and the vulnerability of the child.
What is Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) ?
Child sexual abuse includes touching and non-touching activity. Some examples of touching activity include:
• touching a child's genitals or private parts for sexual pleasure
• making a child touch someone else's genitals
• encouraging a child to play sexual games or have sex putting objects or body parts (like fingers, tongue or penis) inside the vagina, mouth or in the anus of a child for sexual pleasure
Some examples of non-touching activity include:
• showing pornography to a child
• deliberately exposing an adult's genitals to a child
• photographing a child in sexual poses
• encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts
• inappropriately watching a child undress or use the bathroom
As well as the activities described above, there is also the serious and growing problem of people making and downloading sexual images of children on the Internet. To view child abuse images is to participate in the abuse of a child.
What is Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)?
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse in which a person of any age takes advantage of a power imbalance to force or entice a child into engaging in sexual activity in return for something received by the child.
As with other forms of child sexual abuse, the presence of perceived consent does not change the abusive nature of the act.
What is Grooming?
Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.
Children and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited or trafficked.
Protective Adults can be groomed as well in order to gain access to children and young people.
What is Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)?
Harmful Sexual behaviours are sexual behaviours expressed by children and young people under the age of 18 years old that are developmentally inappropriate, may be harmful towards self or others and / or be abusive towards another child, young person or adult
Examples of harmful sexual behaviour can include sexual touching of others without consent, taking/sharing sexual images of other children, or engaging much younger children in sexual conversation/activity.
It is important to establish whether the sexual behaviour is problematic or abusive. Sexual behaviour may be abusive if:
• It involves others without their true agreement or consent
• It involves force or threats
• It involves physical or emotional violence
• The other person involved is not equal to the child (such as much physically/emotionally immature, inferior position of power)
• It involves persuasion, bribery, pressure, coercion
• It is against the rules/against the law
What is the impact of child sexual abuse?
The impact of sexual abuse varies from child to child. Many affected by abuse demonstrate a good deal of resilience and strength in dealing with their experiences.
Research indicates, however, that adolescents and adults experiencing mental health problems, including post traumatic stress symptoms, borderline personality disorder, depression, problems with food, suicide/attempted suicide and self-harm, severe substance misuse, anxiety disorders and loss of self-esteem are more likely than others to report a history of childhood sexual abuse.
For some, the damage can be enormous, with the impact still being felt into adulthood, affecting many or all aspects of their life. It is a root cause of many health and social problems we face in our communities.
What is the biggest myth around child sexual abuse?
Very often the media reports stories about children who are abused, abducted and even murdered, usually by strangers but it is important to know that these are not typical crimes.
Sexual abusers are more likely to be people we know, and could well be people we care about. More than 8 out of 10 children who are sexually abused know their abuser.
They are family members or friends, neighbours or babysitters - many hold responsible positions in society.
Some will seek out employment which brings them into contact with children, some will hold positions of trust which can help to convince other adults that they are beyond reproach, making it hard for adults to raise their concerns.
Why do people sexually abuse children?
It is not easy to understand how seemingly ordinary people can sexually abuse children.
Some people recognise that it is wrong and are deeply unhappy about what they are doing.
Others believe their behaviour is OK and that what they do shows their love for children. Some, but not all, have been abused themselves or come from violent or unhappy family backgrounds.
Knowing why people sexually abuse children does not excuse their behaviour, but it may help us understand what we can do to prevent it happening in the first place.
If people who abuse children face the reality of what they are doing and come forward, or if someone reports them, effective treatment programmes are available. These programmes are designed to help people understand and control their behaviour, reducing risk to children and building a safer society.
How does sexual abuse happen?
People who abuse children often build a relationship with the child, their parents and other caring adults who want to protect them. Many are good at making 'friends' with children and those who are close to them. Some may befriend parents who are experiencing difficulties, such as isolation, emotional problems, financial pressures.
They may offer to baby-sit or offer support with childcare and other responsibilities. Some seek trusted positions in the community which put them in contact with children, such as childcare, schools, children's groups and sports teams.
Some find places such as arcades, playgrounds, parks, swimming pools and around schools where they can get to know children. They may build a relationship with a child online, through social media, chatrooms, messaging apps or gaming, so that adults do not know about what the abuser is doing.
When communicating via the internet, young people tend to become less wary and talk about things far more openly than they might when communicating face to face. Both male and female adults and some young people may use the internet to harm children. They may engage with the child in a relatively open online space and then encourage the child to move to an app or forum where it is more difficult for protective adults to know about or monitor the conversation.
Although some may groom children to abuse them offline, it is more common for adults and adolescents to groom children to abuse them online, including asking the child to take sexualised pictures of themselves and send them to the abuser.
People who abuse children will often silence children to ensure that their abuse is undetected by adults. This can involve offering the child gifts or treats, and sometimes combining these with threats about what will happen if the child says 'no' or tells someone.
They may threaten to physically hurt a child if they disclose, but more usually the threat is about what may happen if they tell, for example, the family breaking up or the abuser going to prison. In order to keep the abuse secret the abuser will often play on the child's fear, embarrassment, shame or guilt about what is happening, perhaps convincing them that no one will believe them. If the abuser has asked the child to send images online, this might involve a threat of sharing the images more publicly.
Sometimes the abuser will make the child believe that he or she enjoyed the abuse and wanted it to happen. There may be other reasons why a child stays silent and doesn't tell. Very young or disabled children are particularly vulnerable as they may lack the words or means of communication to let people know what is going on.
Who sexually abuses children
There is a growing understanding that sexual abusers are likely to be people we know, and care about; more than 8 out of 10 children who are sexually abused know their abuser.
They can be family members or friends, neighbours or babysitters - many hold responsible positions in society. Some people who abuse children have adult sexual relationships and are not solely, or even mainly, sexually interested in children.
Abusers come from all classes, cultures, ethnic and religious backgrounds and may be homosexual or heterosexual. Most abusers are men, but some are women. They are also other children and young people. You cannot pick out an abuser in a crowd.
Why don't children tell?
Three quarters of children who are abused do not tell anyone about it and many keep their secret all their lives. In 2013 a study was conducted which highlighted some of the reasons why children were unable to tell:
"it was nobody else's business"
"didn't think it was serious or wrong"
"didn't want parents to find out"
"didn't want friends to find out"
"didn't want the authorities to find out"
"was frightened"
"didn't think would be believed"
"had been threatened by abuser"
NSPCC study of disclosures of childhood abuse provides further reading - No One Noticed, No One Heard
What should I do if I know a child is / has been abused?
It is very disturbing to suspect someone we know of sexually abusing a child, especially if the person is a friend or a member of the family.
It is easier to dismiss such thoughts and put them down to imagination. However it is better to discuss the situation with someone than to discover later that we were right to be worried. And remember, we are not alone. Thousands of people every year discover that someone in their family or circle of friends has abused a child.
Children who are abused and their families may need professional help to recover from their experience. Appropriate actions can therefore lead to further abuse being prevented, and children who are being abused receiving protection and help to recover. It can also lead to the abuser getting effective treatment to stop abusing anyone else and becoming a safer member of our community. If the abuser is someone close to us, we may need to get support for ourselves too.
To find out more visit our ACT pages.
Do children sexually abuse other children?
At least one third of all sexual offences against children and young people in the UK are committed by other children and young people, (Hackett, NSPCC 2016).
Children of all ages can display concerning or potentially harmful sexual behaviour. Harmful sexual behaviour is more commonly seen in boys, but is not exclusive to boys. Girls can and do carry out harmful sexual behaviours also.
The consequences of harmful sexual behaviour can be devastating and long lasting for victims. The consequences of harmful sexual behaviour can also be devastating and long lasting for those who have committed harm.
Child sexual abuse is preventable. There are steps we can take in talking to children and young people to help them to understand what sexual behaviours are ok and not ok and what behaviours are harmful and why.
As with any behaviours, children and young people need guidance and support to follow a positive path in developing healthy attitudes to sex and relationships and live healthy, harm free lives. We need to protect young people from experiencing and carrying out sexual harm.
Finding out your child has committed harmful sexual behaviour can be devastating. Identifying and addressing harmful sexual behaviours carried out by children and young people can be difficult. Children may carry out harmful sexual behaviours for a number of complex reasons. It is important to remember that children are children – even those that have carried out harm. We need to aim to understand their harmful sexual behaviours, what may have contributed to them, and support these young people and those they have harmed in a positive way to prevent further abuse and protect all children from harm.
Why do some children sexually abuse other children?
The reasons why children sexually harm others are complicated and not always obvious. Some have been emotionally, sexually or physically abused themselves, or witnessed physical or emotional violence at home. Some may have been exposed to online sexual images or content at an age they were not ready for. And some may just struggle to understand boundaries about what is OK and not OK in relationships
For many children harmful behaviour will be a passing phase they grow out of. However the harm they cause to other children can be serious and some will go on to abuse children in adulthood if they do not receive help. For these reasons it is vital to seek advice and help as soon as possible.
What stops us from seeing abuse?
Many people have experienced someone close to them abusing a child. When something is so difficult to think about, it is only human to find ways of denying it to ourselves.
One of the common thoughts that parents in this situation have is;
'My child would have told me if they were being abused and they haven't - so it can't be happening'.
Other things people have said to themselves to deny what is happening include:
"He was the perfect father; he was involved with the children, he played with them and when our daughter was ill he looked after her so well."
"I thought they were just fooling around. He couldn't be abusing anyone at 14."
"My brother would never do that to a child. He has a wife and children."
"My friend has had a longstanding relationship with a woman. So how can he be interested in boys?"
"She was their mother: how could she be abusing them?"
"He told me about his past right from the start. He wouldn't have done that if he hadn't changed and I'd know if he'd done it again."
How are children 'groomed'?
Grooming is a word used to describe how people who want to sexually harm children and young people get close to them, and often their families, and gain their trust. They do this in all kinds of places - in the home or local neighbourhood, the child's school, youth and sports club, the local church and the workplace. Grooming may also occur online by people forming relationships with children and pretending to be their friend.
They do this by finding out personal information about their potential victim e.g. their likes and dislikes, their family circumstances with the aim of identifying a need in the child which they will attempt to fill. For example, if a child is lonely a potential abuser will give the child attention and develop a 'special relationship' which then might make it easier to manipulate the child. The abuser will also try to find out what the likelihood is of the child telling.
The abuser will seek to find out as much as they can about the child's family and social networks and, if they think it is 'safe enough', will then try to isolate their victim and may use flattery and promises of gifts, or threats and intimidation in order to achieve some control. It is easy for 'groomers' to find child victims online. They generally use chat rooms which are focussed around young people's interests. They often pretend to be younger and may even change their gender.
Many give a false physical description of themselves which may bear no resemblance to their real appearance - some send pictures of other people, pretending that it is them. Groomers may also seek out potential victims by looking through personal websites such as social networking sites.
What are the signs and indicators of child sexual abuse?
Signs that a child is being sexually abused are often present, but they can be indistinguishable from other signs of stress, distress, or trauma in childhood. Being aware of common signs and what to look for can be helpful.
Signs of child sexual abuse can be physical and/or emotional, with physical signs being less common. Emotional signs can involve a child acting in inexplicable or new way –signs of withdrawal, depression, or sudden anger for instance. It’s important to remember that some children may show no signs at all.
Things to look out for include:
• Acting out in an inappropriate sexual way with toys or objects.
• Nightmares, sleeping problems.
• Becoming withdrawn or very clingy.
• Personality changes, seeming insecure.
• Regressing to younger behaviours, e.g. bedwetting.
• Unaccountable fear of particular places or people.
• Outburst of anger.
• Changes in eating habits.
• Physical signs, such as, unexplained soreness or bruises around genitals, sexually-transmitted diseases.
• Becoming secretive.
Find out more at our warning signs pages in the IDENTIFY section.
Are adults groomed?
Individuals who sexually abuse children will often seek out adults and groom them in order to get access to their children. By "bonding" with adults in this way the sex offender can create a relationship either built on trust or dependency and gain access to the children through it.
How is the grooming of children different on the internet?
In many circumstances, grooming online is faster and anonymous and results in children trusting an online 'friend' more quickly than someone they had just met 'face to face'.
Abusers intent on sexually harming children can easily access information about them online and they are able to hide their true identity, age and gender.
People who groom children may not be restricted by time or accessibility to a child as they would in the 'real world'.
Does treatment for people who sexually abuse children really work?
YES.
Most sex offenders are not monsters, however abhorrent their behaviour - and few are the predatory violent offenders sometimes portrayed in the media. Adults who abuse children are responsible for their behaviour and can choose to stop.
Experts agree that with successful completion of specialised treatment, people who sexually abuse children can learn how to control their actions and become part of the solution of keeping children safe.
Child sexual abuse is a crime and must be dealt with first through the child protection and criminal justice systems.
However, to prevent further abuse, it's in our best interest as a society to provide the best treatment available to every person who abuses children and wants to change. It's also in our best interests to build a system that supports such people in their recovery so that they have the chance to contribute positively to society.
When people who abuse children are firmly supported and held accountable for their actions, they are more likely to live productive, abuse-free lives. This way we have protected the next child.
What happens if I report my suspicions?
If a child is in immediate danger call 999.
Every case is different so it is difficult to say what might happen if you report your suspicions to the authorities.
More information can be found in Reporting child sexual abuse section
What help is there for survivors of child sexual abuse in Scotland?
There is help available throughout Scotland for survivors od child sexual abuse.
Please have a look Survivors of Sexual Abuse section
Is viewing sexual images of children considered child sexual abuse?
Making, downloading or viewing sexual images of children on the Internet – referred to in Scottish law as ‘indecent images of children’ - is a serious crime that can lead to sex offender registration and even prison.
To view sexual images of children and young people up to the age of 18 is to participate in the abuse of a child.
These crimes are often described in the press as viewing ‘child pornography’. Actually they involve accessing images that have been created in a context of exploitation and abuse and viewing them drives an economy whereby more and more children are abused online each year.
Some who view these images may also be abusing children they know. Many will not, but all will need help to prevent their behaviour from continuing or becoming even more serious.
How widespread is child sexual abuse in Scotland?
Child sexual abuse is largely a hidden crime, so it is difficult to accurately estimate the number of people who are sexually abused at some time during their childhood. It is estimated that one in six children experience sexual abuse before the age of 16.*
* Child Maltreatment in the UK, NSPCC 2011
How are sex offenders in the community managed in Scotland?
A person convicted of a sexual offence after 1997 automatically becomes a Registered Sex Offender.
This means that they have to register with the police within 72 hours of being convicted in court.
They must give their name, date of birth, home address and national insurance number, passport details, bank details etc.
The length of time that they are on the sex offender register varies, and only a few remain on the register for life.
‘ small number are thought to be of high risk of serious harm, and that risk is managed by the police in discussion with social services, housing, health services and others. This is known as MAPPA (the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements).
Each area has a MAPPA group who decide on the best way to manage any risk posed by a registered sex offender. MAPPA is a system where information is shared between agencies to develop a risk management plan and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to keep people safe.
Where can I get further help or advice in Scotland?
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
• Contact the Stop it Now! helpline for anonymous and confidential advice about any issue in relation to is available for anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse. The helpline is available from 9.00am - 9.00pm Mondays to Thursdays and 9.00am - 5.00pm Fridays, and closed on weekends and bank holidays. Stop It Now Helpline: 0808 1000 900
• Contact Police Scotland via the non-emergency number 101
• Contact your local Social Services/Children's Social Care
•Contact the NSPCC Helpline - 0808 800 5000
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre - CEOP is the UK's national police agency for dealing with child protection, particularly tackling offenders who use online technology to abuse children.If you are worried about someone's behaviour towards a child online, you can report this at www.ceop.police.uk.
Email Stop It Now! Scotland at scotland@stopitnow.org.uk
