Violence against Women and Girls Crime report contents

Child abuse
All cases of child abuse are flagged 123 ; with those of child sexual abuse (CSA) being identified
according to any sexual offence flagged as child abuse. Data provided below relates to all child abuse
defendants and victims, irrespective of gender, with further details of gender where available.
The volume of child abuse referrals from the police increased to 13,282 in 2015-16 – an increase of
442 referrals from 12,840 in 2014-15 (3.4%) and the highest level ever recorded.
8,889 of these referrals were charged, a rise of 193 defendants from 8,696, the highest volume
recorded. 66.9% of referrals were charged, a fall from 67.7% in the previous year.
The volume of prosecutions completed in 2015-16 reached 11,130 – a rise of 1,085 defendants (or
10.8%) since 2014-15, reaching the highest volume recorded. There was a rise in the volume of
successful outcomes in the overall child abuse cases to 8,439 in 2015-16 from 7,469 in 2014-15 – the
highest volume ever recorded and a rise of 13.0% on the previous year. 75.8% of prosecutions
resulted in a conviction in 2015-16 a rise of 1.4ppt from the previous year.
In 2015-16, there were 41 child abuse homicide offence prosecutions 124 a rise from 17 in the previous
year. 75.6% of prosecutions resulted in a conviction compared with 58.8% in the previous year 125 .
There was a rise in the volume of prosecutions of child abuse offences against the person (from 3,192
in 2014-15 to 3,582 in 2015-16 – the highest level ever recorded); with successful outcomes rising
from 71.3% to 72.8%, compared with 2014-15.
Child sexual abuse offence prosecutions 126 completed in 2015-16 rose (from 5,387 to 6,217) – a rise
in volume of 830 (15.4%). Successful outcomes rose from 3,975 to 4,643, also the highest volume
ever recorded and a rise of 668 (16.8%), alongside a rise in the conviction rate from 73.8% to 74.7% in
2015-16, compared to the previous year.
1,808 (29.1%) of child sexual abuse prosecutions were flagged as both child abuse and rape. Of these
prosecutions, a conviction was obtained in 1,213 cases – the highest volume ever recorded and
representing a 67.1% conviction rate. Of the child sexual abuse offence prosecutions where the rape
flag was not applied, (4,409 or 70.9%), a conviction was obtained in 3,430 cases – the highest volume
ever recorded and representing a 77.8% conviction rate.
Tables 8a-8d provide further detail.
123 The CPS definition of “child abuse” was agreed in March 2010 – see glossary.
124 See glossary for definitions.
125 Note caution regarding percentages with such low number of cases
126 Information is available from the Case Management System [CMS] to show the number of prosecuted
defendants, flagged as child abuse, and whose principal offence was categorised as sexual offences.
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