Resources for Parents and Carers

Child sexual abuse is never the fault of the child. If you are experiencing it or know someone who has, then we’re here to help. You are right to tell someone, and you are not alone.
Often young people who’ve experienced sexual abuse can feel confused or unsure about what’s happened. Even if you are not sure, you can still get support.
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening

Sexual touching of any part of a child’s body whether they are clothed or not. It could include unwanted kissing, touching, penetration, rape and/or oral sex.
Being made to look at sexual pictures or videos, do something sexual or made to watch someone do something sexual, including pornography or sexual abuse imagery.
Being given things like gifts or affection to make you feel like you owe someone something sexual. This is called Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).
Someone flashing or exposing themselves to you either in person or online.
Someone asking you to flash or expose yourself to them either in person or online.
Someone sending you sexual messages, pictures or photographs, sometimes this is called sexting.
Being pressured or told to share sexual images or videos of yourself.
Being invited to take part in any kind of sexual activity with another person. Sexual abuse isn’t always physical contact, it can happen online.
It can happen to any gender, and it can be someone you know or a stranger.

Domestic abuse is behaviour that aims to dominate, threaten, coerce and control
someone else in an intimate relationship.
Domestic abuse can include violence, physical harm, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial abuse.
In most cases domestic abuse is
perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner but could also be a family member or carer.
Children who witness domestic abuse are also recognised by the domestic abuse act (2021) as victims of domestic abuse.
If you are suffering from physical, sexual, psychological, financial abuse or/and are being threatened, intimidated or stalked by a current or previous partner or close family member, it is likely you could be experiencing domestic abuse.

Freely given: This means without force, without convincing, without guilting,
without blackmailing, without bullying or coercion. No does not mean “convince me”. You do not owe anyone sex for any reason. Just because you’ve said yes before does not mean you have to say ‘yes’ every time.
Reversible: You might have been enjoying yourself and then some sexual acts go beyond your boundaries or comfort levels. You are allowed to ask to stop even if you’ve already started.
As soon as you say “stop”, “no”, “slow down” that should be enough. You are
allowed to change your mind, as you do with many other things in life.
Informed: Being informed of what the boundaries and parameters of the sex
you’re having. You can only consent to something if you have the full story. For
example, if someone says they’ll use a condom and then they don’t, there isn’t
full consent. It can also sound like “I really enjoy doing this, but I don’t feel like doing that.”
Enthusiastic: Consent is not merely the presence of a yes or the absence of a no. It is not being worn down by constant attempts at sex that you just give in to the request or pressure. Silence is not consent
Specific: Just because you’ve said yes to one sexual act like giving/receiving oral
sex doesn’t mean you’ve consented to other sexual acts like penetrative sex. If
you’d like to check your sexual partner(s) is OK, you can ask questions like “Do
you like that?” “What do you like?” “What would you like me to do?” “Do you want
me to...”
Legal age of consent – In the UK, the legal age of consent is 16 years old.
Legally anyone under this age is not able to consent to sexual activity.