UK survey reveals one in five adults experienced abuse as a child

By MiNDFOOD

UK survey reveals one in five adults experienced abuse as a child
One in five adults in England and Wales experienced abuse as a child, according to a new report.

Research by the UK’s Office for National Statistics estimates 8.5 million people currently aged between 18 and 74 were abused or witnessed abuse before the age of 16.

More than 3 million adults were victims of child sexual abuse.

One in seven adults who experienced child abuse said they hadn’t told anyone about it before.

The study looked at emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and included a variety of offences or negative experiences.

The report was compiled using data sources from across UK government and the voluntary sector.

Its aim is to provide a better understanding of the scale and nature of the abuse of children.

The analysis was the first of its kind to be conducted by the UK’s official government statistics body.

The disturbing statistics come despite the UK receiving the highest score out of 60 countries for its response to child abuse and commitment to child safety in a 2019 index.

The UK scored 82.7 out of 100 for its environment for children in the Out of the Shadows index by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Similar research to the ONS study was carried out in Australia in 2016, which found approximately 13 per cent of Australian adults had experienced abuse during their childhood.

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