Child sex offences increase in North West by 75% in last five years

There were 4401 child sex offences recorded in the North West in the last year (excluding Greater Manchester). Credit: NSPCC

Police forces in the North West recorded nearly 12 child sex offences, on average, every day last year, new figures from the NSPCC reveal.  

There were 4,401 recorded offences including rape, online grooming and sexual assault against children in 2019/20 - up nearly 75% since 2015.

The real number could be even higher as Greater Manchester Police failed to provide any figures to the NSPCC.

In the UK, there were 73,518 such offences recorded in 2019/20 – up 57% in the five years since 2014/15. That is equivalent to nearly 200 offences every day last year.

The charity found that girls were four times more likely to be victims than boys across the UK, with 14-year-olds being the most common age group to report offences. 

The charity said the figures – obtained from police forces via the Freedom of Information Act - show the need for national leadership in response and urged the Home Office to publish and implement its Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy. 

The strategy was announced by then Home Secretary Sajid Javid at the NSPCC’s ‘How Safe are our Children’ conference in June last year.

The Home Office had said it would publish the strategy "shortly" in May.

NSPCC Chief Executive Peter Wanless said: "The crisis of child sexual abuse is not going away and behind these figures are thousands of children and young people who have reported crimes that can have a devastating impact on their lives.

"Urgent action is needed to prevent abuse and to ensure children are supported to recover when they bravely speak out."

Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000. Adult victims of non-recent sexual abuse can also get in touch for support.

Childline is available for young people on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk