Across the media, plenty is written about the need to protect children from sexual abuse. But what about those who, despite everything, are sexually abused? How do they get help to come to terms with what has happened? To survive and thrive?
Child sex abuse is a sensitive and difficult subject. Yet professionals working in the field know that the consequences of the abuse cannot be brushed aside. The children and young people involved often desperately need to work through what has happened to them.
Action for Children has eight child sex abuse projects that help children and young people who have suffered the trauma of sexual abuse and need support. These projects provide a range of therapeutic services, including individual counselling, play, creative arts, family and group therapy.
The projects vary in size: some just work on child sex abuse issues; others also deal with domestic violence or trauma. Many work with young people to prepare them for therapy: young people can be resistant to the idea of therapy, even though they are experiencing the effects of trauma. All the projects share the best way of supporting children through the Action for Children "Safe and Secure network".
One of these child sex abuse projects is The Kite, in Sunderland. For the last 15 years, this project has offered individual therapy to young people and their families or carers, as well as a range of other services. The project also supports children in residential homes, a percentage of whom have been sexually abused in the past.
But, as a small team, workers at The Kite could not assign a therapist to all of Sunderland's residential homes for young people. As a result they set up the Holding the Space training programme, to support workers in those homes and help young people as a community.
Residential homes that have used the programme have found that the relationship between the workers and children has improved, as well as those between the children themselves. There have been fewer incidents of bullying and the atmosphere has become less aggressive; the communities are more open and caring.
One of the main parts of the Holding the Space training is a process called The Way of Council. Everyone working at, or living in, a residential home takes part each week; it is a formal process, with patterns that those attending find helpful. The group sits in a circle, with a candle in the centre.
They also specify the guidelines at the start: to speak from the heart; to listen in a non-judgmental way; to only say what is relevant; and to be spontaneous. Participants take turns to speak about how they feel by using a "talking piece": only the person holding it is allowed to speak.
The young people who sit in Council have equal power to the workers and this, according to Simone Silverpath, project manager at The Kite, is very important to young people involved in the programme. They often feel powerless in their lives, they may have difficulties in forming relationships due to families that have let them down and often foster placements that have broken down too. They feel outsiders at school and often have no sense of identity. But sitting in Council can give them a sense of belonging to a community and can help them find an identity.
"In Council, they know they are are going to be listened to; they also learn to listen," Silverpath says. Reports from the young people themselves are really enthusiastic. "One young person said: 'I think it's brilliant. I can talk about how I feel and that helps. It takes away the loneliness.'"
Many of the children and young people who have been victims of sexual abuse are reluctant to take part in the therapy they are offered. There can be a range of reasons why: some have led very chaotic lives, others feel there is a stigma attached to undergoing therapy. The Way of Council is not therapy, but as a result of taking part in it, some young people are able to make more positive choices for themselves – which may include therapy.
But despite the importance of child sex abuse work in helping children and young people live positive lives, far too many who could benefit from help are not receiving it. Action for Children's child sex abuse work is currently being evaluated by Canterbury Christ Church University and its findings suggest that, as yet, supply does not meet demand.
Child sex abuse support often lacks funding: depending on where they live, young victims may not be able to access it. That's why Action for Children is calling for an increase in funding to help children who have been sexually abused – so that postcode lotteries are never an issue.
If you or anyone you know has a concern that a child is being sexually abused, please contact your local Social Services or the Police.
If you are a child and need someone to talk to, call Childline for free and confidentially on 0800 1111
If you have a question related to child sex abuse, you can email Action for Children for advice
