More child sexual abuse survivors speak out
The number of people contacting the NSPCC with concerns about child sexual abuse has hit a record level, with survivors motivated to step forward amid a "surge in publicity" about sexual violence against women and girls.
Thecharityreceived4,735 calls about child sexual abuse or exploitation over the six months to October - up 36 per cent from the same period in 2020.
More than 1,500 of these contacts led to a referral to bodies such as the police or local councils for further action, according to the data shared with the PA news agency.
Thesecallshavebeenfrom people worried that a child is being groomed, sometimes by adults in positions of authority, sexually abused by family members or experiencing sexual harassment and abuse by their peers.
Thehelplinehasalsobeen receiving calls from survivors of non-recent sexual abuse, who said they have had come forward following widespread media coverage of violence against women and girls.
This includes the thousands of testimonies sent to the Everyone's Invited website about incidents in schools and universities.
The NSPCC said people have felt "empowered to voice their concerns" following the disclosures.
It fears that the risk of abuse has risen during the coronaviruspandemic,and noted that helpline calls relating to other concerns have fallen to pre-pandemic levels while concerns about abuse continue to rise.
Part of the rise, it said, is a resultofthereportabusein Education helpline it set up in April, with support from the Department for Education.