Call for national child sexual abuse prevention strategy as disclosure figures rise

One in Four chief executive Deirdre Kenny said: 'We know that child sexual abuse is not simply an issue of the past. It is happening now, in our communities and increasingly in online spaces.'

One in Four said it provided a total of 8,444 sessions to people who have suffered child sexual abuse across its advocacy and psychotherapy services as well as supporting 557 people on its waiting list. File picture

A therapeutic charity has called for political leadership to “break the silence” around child sexual abuse after experiencing a sharp increase in psychotherapy supports to adults disclosing childhood abuse.

One in Four urged the Government to conduct a national child sexual abuse prevention strategy, saying that until then statistics will continue to go in the wrong direction.

Its annual report for 2025 shows that the charity delivered 3,431 survivor psychotherapy sessions in 2025, up from 2,213 the previous year — an increase of 55%. The charity said it provided a total of 8,444 sessions across its advocacy and psychotherapy services as well as supporting 557 people on its waiting list.

“At the centre of our work are the people who come to us. For many, making contact with a service can follow years of silence, uncertainty, or isolation,” said One in Four chief executive Deirdre Kenny.  “We know that trust is built gradually, through being listened to and supported without judgement.” 

Ms Kenny said her charity’s role is to provide the space where people can speak when and how they choose, access specialist support, and begin to make sense of experiences that may have shaped their lives for a long time.

“Our work does not end with responding to harm after it has occurred,” she said. “After many years of supporting survivors, we know that child sexual abuse is not simply an issue of the past. It is happening now, in our communities and increasingly in online spaces.” 

Ms Kenny added: “We want to make it easier for society to talk about child sexual abuse, to ease the burden survivors carry. 

"Breaking the silence should never be the responsibility of the survivor. We need political leadership and a commitment to a national child sexual abuse prevention strategy. 

"Until we do that, the statistics will continue to go in the wrong direction and children in this country will continue to be put at risk.” 

At the launch of the report, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said that through its leadership of the national child safety taskforce, One in Four was bringing its specialist experience into a wider collaborative effort.

“One in Four's dedication to evidence-based training has led to the establishment of a new professional certificate, enabling a sharing of their expertise with therapists working in trauma,” he said.

• Cormac O’Keeffe, security correspondent