National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Crimes Report 2023

The report sets out publicly a clear, detailed picture of reported Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) crimes across England and Wales and has been developed by the Vulnerability Knowledge Practice Programme. It highlights that around a third of CSAE contact crimes take place within the family environment and more than half of CSAE offences (where the age was known) were committed by children (10-17 years) The statistics show offending ranging from experimental image-based abuse to serious contact offences.

Based on datasets collected from 44 police forces, this national snapshot gives refreshed, enhanced insight and analysis into the scale and nature of reported CSAE, trends in offending, including crime types, and presents profiles of both victims and perpetrators.

Read the full report

It is known that there is significant under-reporting of these crimes, but policing recognises the value of presenting a known baseline of recorded abuse and harm taking place against children, to inform future understanding.

The report tells us:

• A total of 115,489 CSAE offences were recorded by police in 2023, reflecting the consistent growth in CSAE and the long-term trend of increased reporting to police. Evidence continues to suggest many crimes remains unreported, with an estimated 500,000 children experiencing CSAE every year.
• Sexual Assault on a Child was the most common crime type recorded in 29% of CSAE crimes, followed by Indecent Imagery of Children (27%) and Rape of a Child (18%).
• Contact abuse against children remains consistently high compared to that seen in crimes recorded in 2022, accounting for 68% of CSAE offences in 2023.
• CSAE remains a heavily gendered crime with males (82%, of all CSAE perpetrators) predominantly abusing females (79%, of victims)...
• A relationship between victim and perpetrator was recorded for 44% of offences. Of those, 80% of victims knew their abuser.
• CSAE within the family environment remains a common context for the abuse of children, accounting for almost a third (31%) of reported CSAE crime. 93% of these crimes are contact abuse with almost half (45%) of victims under 10 years of age.
• Policing continues to receive the lowest reports of CSAE offences during school holidays, indicating an important role that the education system has in identifying and facilitating disclosure of abuse.
• Perpetrator age was recorded for 63% of offences. Where recorded, just over half of CSAE (52%) involved reports of children aged 10 to 17, offending against other children, with 14 being the most common age, similar to that reported in 2022.
• Indecent Images of Children (IIOC) offences account for 41% of offences committed by children. Analysis of a representative sample identified that 4 in 5 (80%) of these involve self-generated indecent imagery (SGII). Further analysis showed 62% of SGII involving multiple children had aggravating factors such as the subsequent sharing of images on social media or blackmail (commonly referred to as sextortion).
• Group-based CSAE accounts for 4.6% of all CSAE in 2023 with contact offences accounting for 3.7% and group-based non-contact offences accounting for just under 1% This is consistent with 2022. Group-based CSAE ranges from unorganised peer group sharing of imagery, to more organised complex high harm cases with high community impact.
• At least 35% of police recorded CSAE has an online element, 76% of which relates to IIOC offences The online space plays a role in facilitating contact abuse of children, though under 5% (n.3,610) of contact offences were flagged for having an online element. Of concern is the rapidly emerging threat of the sexual extortion of children. Policing and partners continue to work together to understand this threat in more detail.

ACC Becky Riggs, NPCC lead for Child Abuse Protection and Investigation said:

“Child sexual abuse and exploitation are horrendous crimes and this analysis helps us all to understand more about the real risks that children face as they grow up in today’s society.”

“Our work to prevent and protect children from the terrible harm of sexual abuse and exploitation never stands still and this report helps police and our partners to develop and improve our prevention, disruption, and investigation of these appalling crimes. Keeping all children safe is our shared mission.

“It’s the victims and survivors of abuse that really matter here. Behind every one of these offences is a child that has suffered harm and that’s something we never lose sight of. Many crimes are not reported or identified, with estimates that 500,000 children are sexually abused every year - a truly shocking number.

“Prioritising prevention is critical. We must stop the CSAE from happening and prevent so many children and young people from enduring the long term harm that abuse brings. At the same time we must give confidence to victims to come forward, safe in the knowledge that they will receive a compassionate and professional response. Policing must continue to relentlessly pursue offenders to justice, whilst not unnecessarily criminalising children engaged in harmful behaviours where appropriate.

“Children deserve to grow up safe in the knowledge that those responsible for protecting them from harm will work relentlessly to prevent abuse, improve outcomes for victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said:

“This report pulls back the curtain on the truly appalling magnitude of child sexual exploitation and abuse across England and Wales. It is paramount we do more to protect children from these horrors.

“In January, the government announced a raft of new measures and an investment of £10m that will allow us to do that and drive change at a local level.

“We are introducing mandatory reporting for adults working or volunteering with children in England as part of the Crime and Policing Bill. In addition, anyone trying to cover up abuse by interfering with the duty to report can go to prison for up to seven years. The UK will also become the first country in the world to make it a criminal offence to possess, create or distribute AI models designed to generate vile online child sexual abuse material.

“We are steadfast in our determination to keep children safe and go after abusers.”

FAQs regarding the National Analysis of Police-Recorded CSAE Crimes Report 2023

What is the National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse Crimes Report?

This second annual report provides a comprehensive picture of all police recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation (CSAE) crime. By focussing on all aspects of CSAE, we can get an idea as to the scale and reach of the offences, offenders and threats facing children.

Why is it so important?

The National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse Crimes Report plays a vital role for the police, partners, professionals and the public. The report supports the right resources to be assigned to the right area to help prevent child abuse, and to pursue offenders. It also offers us a glimpse into how CSAE is changing in the modern world. For example, the increased role that digital and the internet plays. 

What is it telling us?

The data tells us new and different things about the scale, nature and changing dynamics of recorded CSAE, the profile of those committing crimes, and the victims they target. The data also reframes some of the popular public narratives surrounding CSAE, helping people to understand where the most common contexts where reported abuse is taking place.

What impact do you hope this has?

Our aim is that the report will help keep children safe and address the issue of CSAE by encouraging police, partners, and the public to work together. We hope that the report will also encourage wider data and information sharing to get a more complete picture of CSAE. This will help everyone better identify victims and prevent CSAE, while hopefully going some way in stopping perpetrators reoffending.

The findings supports policing and partners to consider whether the current responses reflect the changes in threat. Put simply, are we in the right spaces, and is there things we should be doing differently?

Has the methodology of adult offending changed?

Only in the increase of overarching reporting and wider trends regarding online offending. The family environment however remains one of the most common contexts which of abuse takes place in (a third of offences). A high proportion are non-recent reports, and it’s likely that a large number of current offences are not identified or reported. This is likely due to the hidden nature afforded by abuse in this context, the related control the perpetrator may have over the victim and their own ability and confidence to recognise and report abuse.

It’s important to note that although the analysis gives us some clearer insights, due to the known under-reporting of abuse, further research is needed to complement and underpin the findings and continue to enrich our understanding on how offenders operate.

Why is data relating to suspects under 10 years not included?

CSAE crimes committed by children have a perpetrator recorded between the age of 10 and 17 years. Under-10s are not included in this category, as they are below the age of criminal responsibility.

Home Office crime recording rules require that these offences are recorded. However, specific outcome codes make it clear that the person involved is under the age of criminal responsibility and that no further action would be taken, as they cannot be charged with an offence.

How will it support/aid change to policing?

We believe it will help police forces be more proactive when it comes to identifying and dealing with CSAE. CSAE is a national priority area for the police, so knowing where the main trends lie in reports will help police forces tailor their resources more accurately. And because the report is national rather that local, each police force can now get a wider picture, offering them valuable insights into adapting their approach to CSAE in an operational and strategic level and ask important questions such as;

• Are current CSAE strategies up to date?
• Are victims and perpetrators profiling correct?
• Are victims being supported in the right way?
• What are the rising threats to be aware of?
• What can be done to encourage crime reporting from seldom heard groups, such as LGBTQ groups, children with learning difficulties etc?

Is there more to do?

Yes. This is an ongoing story. We plan to continue the journey by improving the quality and depth of our analysis, year-on-year.

Who are the VKPP?

The Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP) is a national policing programme, formed to improve and coordinate policing’s collective response to the protection of individuals experiencing vulnerability from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, as well as improving partnership responses.

The VKPP uses research, analysis and peer review to identify promising practice, practice gaps, and share wider knowledge to shape future responses, with an emphasis on the vulnerability strands of public protection. It also undertakes work across partnerships including a partnership with the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel which has led to the creation of a new data insight function. 

The VKPP joined the College of Policing in April 2024 and from April 2025 will be part of a new National Centre for VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) and Public Protection (NCVPP), funded by the Home Office. The new centre is a partnership between the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and will bring together three national policing programmes; the VKPP, Operation Soteria, and the VAWG Taskforce.

Working together, the NCVPP aims to help bring more perpetrators to justice, prevent the lasting harm caused by public protection-related crimes on victims, families, and communities, and foster confidence among victims and witnesses to come forward, assured of the professional, compassionate policing service they will receive.