Overview
- Drawing on Crime Survey for England and Wales responses up to March 2024, the first expanded-definition estimates put lifetime prevalence at 29%, with emotional abuse most common, followed by physical, sexual and neglect.
- Prevalence was higher for women than men (31.5% versus 26.4%), with the largest gap for sexual abuse (13.9% of women versus 4.1% of men).
- The vast majority of child sexual abuse perpetrators were male (91.3%), most victims knew the perpetrator, and non-contact abuse involved strangers in 44.2% of cases.
- Sexual abuse most often began at ages 13–15, and incidents were reported across homes and public spaces.
- Rates were markedly higher among bisexual, gay and lesbian, trans and disabled people, and those from mixed ethnic backgrounds or lone-parent households, prompting campaigners and former inquiry officials to press for full implementation of IICSA’s 20 recommendations.