Reports of child abuse on the rise, NSPCC says
North Yorkshire Police are urging more victims to come forward despite a rise in recorded sexual offences against children.
North Yorkshire Police are urging more victims to come forward despite a rise in recorded sexual offences against children.
Figures released by the NSPCC say 391 offences were reported between 2013/14, compared to 342 the previous year.
Nationally, three cases of this kind are reported to police every hour, with a quarter of these children under the age of 11.
Detective Superintendent Nigel Costello says it will be nowhere near the true figure, though.
He said: "The more people that we can get to come forward and tell us a real and true picture of what is happening, that enables us to take positive action, not just for their sake, but if the individual has access to other children we can stop others from becoming victims as well."