The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse report: Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation

‘Children in detention are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse’.

This is according to the February 2019 report from the Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions. This report looks into the extent of any institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation whilst in custodial institutions.

The report finds:

  • The number of children in custody has declined considerably since mid-2008, from over 3,000 to fewer than 900 children
  • By March 2017, children from a BAME background made up around 43 percent of the population of children under 18 in custody
  • Around four in 10 children in the youth secure estate have previously been in local authority care. Many come from backgrounds of general social or economic disadvantage
  • There were 1,070 alleged incidents of child sexual abuse within custodial institutions. Of these, 578 alleged incidents were described in terms equating to sexual assault or rape
  • In 10 cases where the alleged perpetrator was a member of staff, he or she was issued with a warning, reprimand or had a letter placed on his or her file
  • Only nine alleged incidents resulted in criminal charges, of which four resulted in conviction.

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