The latest Crime Survey in England and Wales found more than a quarter of children who are sexually abused are abused by a family member. This is supported by research by Cawson (2000) which suggests sexually abusive behaviour by siblings is a particularly common form of intra-familial abuse. Victimisation studies suggest that it is probably the most common form of sexual abuse within families.
Safeguarding professionals should expect to come across cases involving sibling sexual abuse at some point in their career. However, we also know that many professionals feel under-skilled when responding to and supporting families affected by sibling sexual abuse, have difficulty in separating normative or inappropriate sibling sexual behaviour from behaviour that is abusive in nature, and struggle with care planning when abuse is identified.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
