Study: Prevalence of UK child abuse ‘vastly underestimated’

The prevalence of child sexual abuse in England has been vastly underestimated after a major new study suggested only one in eight victims come to the attention of authorities.

Around 50,000 cases of sexual abuse were recorded by police and local authorities in the two years to March 2014, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner said.

But the true number of children abused in that time is thought to be as many as 450,000, meaning around 85% of sexually abused youngsters are not receiving vital intervention to keep them safe and overcome their experiences.