Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “The review has exposed serious failings which must be acted on but I do not want these findings to overshadow the improvements there have been in victim confidence to report abuse.
“Countless offenders who in the past thought they would get away with crimes against children, sometimes committed decades ago, are now behind bars as a result of the bravery of victims coming forward. These victims must remain confident to continue to do so. We must also remain focussed on protecting the children today who continue to suffer the misery of sexual abuse. Our recent research showed that only around 1 in 8 victims of sexual abuse committed by family members or offenders trusted by the family are known to authorities.”
