MORE than a dozen child sex offences are being recorded in Scotland ever day on average, it has emerged.
Fresh calls have been made for improved support to help young victims cope with their ordeal, but child welfare watchdogs warn the care system may not be up to the job.
Children’s charity NSPCC Scotland warn that care for child sex abuse victims is “patchy and inconsistent”, with recovery services under strain and vital support left to the third sector.
It said existing services designed to guide children through the psychological and emotional stress of harrowing sex crimes are “fragile” and unable to meeting rising demand.
The charity is now renewing its call for a shift towards the creation of a dedicated “Children’s House” model that would draw a range of provision, including medical, forensic and therapeutic services, under one roof.
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Figures obtained by the charity from the Scottish Government after being collated by Police Scotland show a rise in child sex offences last year with 4,762 offences recorded by Police Scotland in 2016/17 - an average of 13 a day. The figure is up 9 per cent from 4,368 in the previous year.
The most common form of offence related to indecent images of children, while a number of cases are believed to relate to non-recent child sexual offences.
The rise is being put down in part to police improving recording methods and victims feeling more confident in disclosing abuse following high-profile cases.
The figures follow a similar trend UK-wide where the number of offences has increased from 56,324 to 64,667 over the same period.
Matt Forde, national head of service for NSPCC Scotland, said: “Sexual abuse can destroy a child’s life, leaving them feeling ashamed and depressed or even suicidal, so it takes incredible courage to come forward and report this to the authorities.
“That improved confidence is welcomed but our greatest concern is that, against this backdrop of increasing offending and reporting, our recent research of data and integrated children’s plans across the country found very little provision to help victims recover following sexual abuse.
“Many services that do exist are fragile, insecure and unable to meet demand and this picture has not changed in the past 10 years.
“This has to change so children and young people who have been sexually abused can get the vital help they need to rebuild their lives.”
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Research from NSPCC Scotland in November last year revealed that despite a rise in child sex abuse cases, there is no uniform response to tackling the consequences of abuse suffered by many survivors.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Children’s safety and care is a key priority for us, and we are identifying where the system can be strengthened to ensure children receive the right help at the right time.
“This includes exploring how the principles of Barnahus – a multi-agency, holistic response for child victims of sexual abuse under the one roof – may fit within a Scottish context.
“The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland provides national leadership to the Rape and Sexual Assault Taskforce, which also has a focus on the standards for the clinical pathway for children who have experienced sexual abuse.
“Last year we published a new national action plan to help protect children and young people online. This includes actions to help children and young people develop the necessary skills to stay safe while using the internet, and to support parents and carers to be more aware of the potential risks. It also sets out our commitment to continue to work with digital and social media providers to ensure children are not exposed to harm.”
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