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Statistics
Sexual Abuse is shockingly prevalent in all communities.
The following statistics highlight the scale of the issue in England and Wales.
1 in 4 women
have experienced sexual abuse.
1 in 5men
have experienced sexual abuse.
1 in 6 children
have experienced sexual abuse.
Only 1 in 6 victims (17%) of sexual abuse ever report their experiences to the police. Reasons given include fear of not being believed, self-blame, humiliation, and embarrassment. (Crime Survey for England and Wales 2020).
Broken down by gender, 3 in 4 men and 4 in 5 women do not report their experiences of sexual abuse to the police. As a result of the discomfort towards reporting, statistics underestimate the prevalence of sexual abuse in England & Wales.
Police recorded sexual offences by offence type
“CSA” stands for Child Sexual Abuse.
Source: Office for National Statistics| Year ending | Rape Cases | Sexual Assault Cases | CSA* Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | 69,905 | 75,023 | 24,419 |
| March 2021 | 55,652 | 49,844 | 22,260 |
| March 2020 | 59,104 | 58,796 | 24,536 |
| March 2019 | 59,921 | 59,509 | 25,126 |
| March 2018 | 55,004 | 56,057 | 23,563 |
Sexual Abuse and Mental Health
- 94% of rape or sexual assault survivors develop symptoms of PTSD in the first two weeks after the event. (PTSD UK)
- 74% of under 18s who attend our Prevention & Early Intervention services have self-harmed.
- 15% of people suffering with eating disorders have experienced sexual abuse.
- 80% of clients accessing Safeline’s services present with suicidal ideation.
- 65% of young people referred to our Prevention & Early Intervention service are neurodivergent or have additional educational needs.
Without Support
- 51% of adult survivors of CSA experienced domestic abuse in later life.
- 42% of adult homelessness is attributed to sexual abuse.