Wiltshire abuse charity welcomes new law to report child sex abuse
Failing to disclose a case of child sexual abuse can lead to someone being banned from the sector
It's now mandatory for people working with children to report cases of sexual abuse against minors after new government plans were unveiled.
People who fail to disclose information of a case could be barred from working with children again, while anyone blocking or covering up a report could face a seven-year prison sentence.
It comes after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), published in 2022, revealed how institutions were failing to protect children from sexual harm and exploitation.
The inquiry made 20 recommendations to the government, although former Home Secretary Suella Braverman accepted the need to act on 19 of them in 2023.
Current Home Sec, James Cleverly, said people are simply being asked to "do the right thing".
"Sadly what we have seen too many examples of is children suffering from abuse and that abuse not being reported and no child should have to endure that.
"What we're saying now is that if it has been brought to your attention that abuse is happening, there is now a duty to report that abuse so that the situations we have seen in the past can never happen again."
More reporting can build the picture around those at risk
The new law has been welcomed by Wiltshire-based abuse charity, FearFree.
We spoke to their Director of Service, Emily Denne, who believes the move will help make children and young people much safer.
"We can all hope that it will absolutely result in more investigation, potentially more convictions," she said.
Emily added: "I think it won't necessarily change whether victims come forward, but what it will mean is the professionals are more encouraged to report and if they're not sure if something constitutes abuse, it will hopefully encourage them to report and let it be investigated properly."
And that's the message from Mr Cleverly too: "If things are brought to your attention, then report them. And we would prefer that reports happen that can be investigated and then discounted if they are not examples of criminality.
"But what we've seen, sadly, is far too many cases where abuse was happening, was known to be happening, and action wasn't taken. And that's what we're seeking to address."
By making a report, professionals will help build a picture around a vulnerable child, something Emily says is critical.
"We never know the whole picture any of us and the more that we work together that we share information that we do report any concerns, the safer young children and young adults are."
Research suggests one in six children will experience a form of child sexual abuse.
It has a number of impacts, affecting their emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Victims are less likely to stay in school, meaning their results decline.
"It will impact them at the time," Emily said, "but it might impact the rest of their life as well.
"It's vital that we do everything we can to try and stop it."