Sex crimes against young children in Northern Ireland increase
Almost a quarter of all sex offences committed against children last year involved victims aged between four and eight, the NSPCC has learned.
According to figures from the PSNI there were 439 recorded sexual offences against children aged four to eight in Northern Ireland in 2017/18 – 23% of the total number of recorded child sex offences against under 18s. The figure was an increase from 422 offences against children of the same ages recorded in 2016/17.
The NSPCC has highlighted its PANTS campaign to help parents with children aged eight and under to have the vital conversation about staying safe from sexual abuse by teaching them important messages, such as their privates are private.
In Northern Ireland, the PANTS campaign is being delivered this year with the support of the Public Health Authority to help professionals, parents and carers from the Western Trust area.
Research conducted by the NSPCC found many parents were worried that talking to their young children about sexual abuse would be scary and confusing for them.
To combat the issue the NSPCC has created a catchy song and activity pack - with cartoon dinosaur Pantosaurus - which don’t mention the words sex or abuse so it is easier for parents to tackle the sensitive subject.
The charity has also produced a new, fun video which shows other young children using the PANTS activities.
Donna-Marie Wright, a mum to seven children, is a passionate supporter of the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS campaign.
She said: “I think Talk PANTS is a brilliant concept because having been abused myself as a child I wanted to talk to my children about staying safe from sexual abuse, especially the younger ones (aged 4 & 5) because they don’t really understand.
“It’s a fun way to engage the kids, and the PANTS activities are done in a non-invasive way – there is no talk of sex. As soon as they are old enough to understand, it is a conversation all parents should have with their children.”
Neil Anderson, Head of NSPCC in Northern Ireland said: “We know that lots of parents have already used Talk PANTS to speak to their children about the dangers they may face from sexual abuse as they grow up, both in the online and offline world.
“However, the figures we have revealed today show that we all need to do more to help young children learn how to stay safe from sexual abuse, these conversations should be as normal as teaching them to cross the road.”
Parents and children can sing along with Pantosaurus, who explains each letter of PANTS. The acronym provides a simple but valuable rule that keeps children safe: that their body belongs to them, they have a right to say no, and that they should tell an adult they trust if they’re worried or upset.
The charity also encourages parents to order a PANTS activity pack ahead of half term from their online shop. The pack contains word searches, games, stickers and a bookmark for a suggested donation of £5.
Click here for the video.