Sarah Champion MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Preventing Abuse and Domestic Violence, responding to new official statistics on historic child abuse in England and Wales, said: 

“This new study paints a frightening picture of endemic child abuse in England and Wales.

 “The figures reveal the true extent of child abuse in our country, including thousands of previously unreported crimes dating back to the 1960s. It exposes the trauma that so many people have silently lived with for decades.

 “As a society we have to wake up to the extent of child abuse taking place in our communities. While these figures relate to historic abuse, thousands of children continue to be abused today and the indications are that things are getting worse rather than better. As worrying as these figures are, they are likely to be merely the tip of the iceberg. 

“This data must shock the Government into action. If we are to prevent another generation growing up with the consequences of widespread child abuse, we have to teach children how to protect themselves from abuse. My research with survivors, experts and charities all shows that compulsory age-appropriate resilience and relationships education for every child is the biggest single step we could take to prevent abuse, but this was reportedly blocked by David Cameron. 

“Theresa May and Justine Greening now have the opportunity to take note of these stark figures and act immediately to help protect more children from the horrors of abuse.”