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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 10:59 pm
Time: 10:59 pm
Results for peer sexual abuse
1 results foundAuthor: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Title: "Is this sexual abuse?" NSPCC helplines report: peer sexual abuse Summary: It's normal for children to demonstrate a range of sexual behaviours as they grow up. But sometimes they may behave in a sexualised way that is inappropriate to their age and stage of development. We call this harmful sexual behaviour, because it's harmful to the children who display it, as well as the people it's directed towards. There are many reasons why children display harmful sexual behaviour, but research shows that exposure to trauma can be a key factor in its development (Hackett, 2016). Harmful sexual behaviour can be displayed towards peers, younger children, older children or adults. It ranges from behaviour that is socially inappropriate to behaviour that is unexpected or impulsive, and behaviour with an element of victimisation or violence. This may include unwanted or inappropriate touching; forcing or coercing someone else to watch or take part in sexualised activity; and sexual violence. Around a third of child sexual abuse is committed by other children and young people (Hackett, 2014). We hear from parents and professionals who are concerned about children displaying sexualised behaviour. In 2016/17, there were 663 contacts to our helpline about this. Many of the adults who got in touch weren't confident about deciding whether sexualised behaviour is 'normal' or harmful, and they weren't sure of the best way to respond. Puberty can be a confusing time and peer relationships naturally change as children grow up. This can mean children also find it difficult to identify which sexual behaviours are appropriate and inappropriate. Those who display harmful sexual behaviour may not recognise that they are doing so. Those who experience harmful sexual behaviour may realise it makes them feel unhappy or unsafe, but they aren't always clear about how to respond. In 2016/17, our Childline service delivered 3,004 counselling sessions to children and young people who were concerned about having been sexually abused by their peers. This might be a friend; boyfriend or girlfriend; ex-partner; or another young person who was under the age of 18, and who isn't related to them. Throughout this report we're calling this type of abuse 'peer sexual abuse'. Peer sexual abuse can take place in a range of locations including at school, at home, at social events and online. According to a BBC Freedom of Information request, the number of police-recorded sexual offences by under-18-year-olds against other under-18-year-olds in England and Wales rose by 71 per cent between 2013/14 (4,603) and 2016/17 (7,866) (BBC, 2017). However, it's likely that peer sexual abuse is underreported. Research carried out by Radford in 2009 found that 1 in 3 children sexually abused by an adult didn't tell anyone at the time, and this figure is even higher for children who have experienced peer sexual abuse (Radford et al, 2011). Some young people tell our Childline counsellors they don't want to speak out, for reasons like: - being worried about getting a friend or partner into trouble - being blackmailed or threatened into keeping things secret - being afraid of being bullied - not being sure they will be believed. They may not fully understand whether they gave consent for sexual activity to take place, feel guilty or think they are somehow to blame - especially if alcohol was involved, or if they were involved in sexting (sharing explicit texts, images or videos). We want to help adults support children who are affected by peer sexual abuse more effectively. It's vital that children and young people who have experienced any form of abuse know it wasn't their fault, and are able to get the right help at the right time. So in this report we're sharing what young people have told Childline about their experiences of peer sexual abuse. We've looked at how peer sexual abuse takes place; the impact this has on young people's lives; and the challenges they face accessing support. We're also highlighting what they say helps them get back on track after experiencing peer sexual abuse, what they're telling us about the support they need, and how we can best prevent peer sexual abuse from happening. Details: London: NSPCC, 2018. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2018 at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/nspcc-helplines-report-peer-sexual-abuse.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/nspcc-helplines-report-peer-sexual-abuse.pdf Shelf Number: 150451 Keywords: Child ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseJuvenile Sex OffendersPeer RelationsPeer Sexual AbuseSextingSexual AbuseSocial Media |