Over 800 child sexual abuse crimes recorded in Hertfordshire in 2019-20

The NSPCC says the Government's recent Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy must be backed up with action and funding
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More than 850 child sexual abuse crimes have been recorded in Hertfordshire, new figures reveal.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that Hertfordshire Constabulary recorded 863 child sexual abuse crimes in 2019-20. The ONS cautions that the figures are experimental and variations between years could reflect changes in recording rather than changes in the number of offences.

Of the total, 146 were cases of sexual exploitation against children.

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Police

Child sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse where a child is coerced into sexual activity. It does not always involve physical contact and may occur through the use of technology.

The children's charity NSPCC says while the Government's recent Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy puts the emphasis on early intervention, it must be backed up with action and funding.

The number of child sexual abuse crimes in Hertfordshire increased by 357% compared to two years earlier, when 189 cases were recorded. Exploitation offences went up – in 2017-18 there were 75 cases recorded by the force.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrea Dalton, who leads Hertfordshire Police's Safeguarding Children teams, said: “We are committed to providing the very best service for victims of child sexual abuse and the survivors and families of abuse victims, regardless of whether they are reporting a recent crime or an offence that occurred decades ago.

“The Constabulary has a dedicated command with teams of specialist officers and staff who deal solely with child abuse investigations, and last year they increased the number of detectives who respond to reports and investigations that can be complex, challenging and immensely important.

"This increase in resources recognises the steady increase in numbers of victims and survivors who have the courage to bring their experience to the attention of the authorities.

“This is also mirrored in the rise in reports of child sexual abuse in the county compared with two years ago.

"It is important to look at these figures in context, as they can in part be attributed to changes in crime recording processes, and they also indicate that more cases are being detected and brought to our attention – which we see as positive news for victims.

“Sexual abuse can be hidden from even those closest to the victim, and among the clear benefits of the ONS publicity is to prompt the public to report any concerns about a child that may be at risk. A minor suspicion that ‘all is not well’ is often the catalyst for police investigations, so I would always encourage the public to report any concerns.

“The strong working relationships that we have with partners in the county are also fundamentally important to our work and gives us the ability to react very quickly to reports and referrals.

“Within Hertfordshire Constabulary, there are a number of specialist teams that deal with child sexual abuse cases, and these teams work continuously with their local authority partners.

"Victims can be assured that we will strive to achieve justice for them, and take any steps that are possible to intervene against perpetrators to prevent other people becoming victims in the future.”

Across England and Wales, 61,800 child sexual abuse crimes were recorded in 2019-20 – 12% more than in 2017-18.

Anna Edmundson, head of policy at the NSPCC, said: “Behind these figures are thousands of children and young people who have suffered sexual abuse which can have a devastating impact on their lives.

“We know the risks of young people experiencing certain types of sexual abuse, particularly within the home and online, have increased since the pandemic began while access to support has been severely reduced.

“The Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy is an important first step in protecting and supporting children."

She added that the Government should also invest in a multi-agency model of care for child sexual abuse, known as the Child House approach.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Child sexual abuse is a sickening crime that can devastate lives. The publication of the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy builds on the Government’s commitment to ensuring there are no safe spaces online or offline for offenders to abuse and exploit vulnerable children.

“It will ensure offenders of these horrific crimes are swiftly brought to justice.

"This includes equipping police with enhanced powers and tools, including investing in the UK’s world-leading Child Abuse Image Database, introducing the ground-breaking Online Safety Bill and GCHQ collaborating with the technology industry to identify and develop solutions to crack down on large-scale online child sexual abuse."

The following teams work under Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Safeguarding Command:

- The Joint Child Protection Investigation Team; a team of specialist police officers and specialist social workers, and who are the first responders to reports of children at risk of harm, and who investigate criminal offences and bring perpetrators to justice

- The Hertfordshire Safeguarding Referrals Hub; where police officers work alongside their partners to assess referrals about children that may be at risk

- The Child Online Safeguarding team; where police officers use sophisticated technology and techniques to identify and respond to children at risk of ‘online’ child abuse, and where perpetrators are identified (often within hours) and brought to justice

- The Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Team (Halo); where police officers identify and respond to young people at risk of CSE, and where perpetrators are I identified and brought to justice

- The Historic Child Protection Investigation Team; a team of specially trained police officers, and who provide bespoke responses and support to survivors of historical sexual abuse, and who have often waited many years before bringing their experiences to the attention of the authorities.