UK-Led Study Uncovers Child Abuse Horrors: 15 Million European Kids Face Sexual Assault, Girls Hit Hardest in 'Safe' Homes

A new study led by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute, hosted at the University of Edinburgh, has revealed horrifying rates of child sexual abuse and exploitation across Western Europe.

It finds that 7 per cent of children in the region are raped or sexually assaulted before they turn 18, with girls disproportionately affected. Almost 20 per cent report online grooming or solicitation. The researchers warn that many of these abuses happen in places meant to be safe, even in children's own homes.

Scale of the Problem

The University of Edinburgh's report, drawn from 48 population-based surveys across 19 European countries, estimates that nearly 15 million children in Western Europe are affected by sexual assault or rape, based on the 7% prevalence rate.

Key findings include:

• Rape or sexual assault before age 18: 7% overall, with 9.7% of females versus 3.9% of males.
• Online solicitation or grooming: ~19.6% of children reported experiencing unwanted or pressured sexual interactions online before 18.
• A dramatic surge in AI-generated 'deepfake' abuse material, which rose steeply between 2023 and 2024.

Abuse Behind Closed Doors

Professor Deborah Fry of the University of Edinburgh, who led the research, emphasised that much of the abuse is hidden. 'Even though the evidence is limited to a handful of countries and prevalence estimates vary widely, what we know about sexual violence against children within families underscores the need to invest in primary prevention or stopping it before it ever starts.'

Children often remain silent, Fry says, because they fear the abuser, are worried about harming their family, blame themselves, or simply do not understand that what they endured was abuse. The harm, the study warns, often lasts well into adulthood — affecting mental health, physical health, and in some cases life expectancy.

'Home Is Where the Hurt Is'

Paul Stanfield, chief executive of Childlight, puts it bluntly: homes, often imagined as safe havens, are too often sites of betrayal. 'People often say home is where the heart is, but, sadly, for too many children, home is where the hurt is.'

Stanfield warns of a 'hidden emergency in places where children should be safest, an avalanche of abuse behind closed doors, but it's preventable, not inevitable.'

Child Abuse and Neglect in the UK

Recent data from the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and other sources highlight the ongoing prevalence and impact of child abuse in the UK.

• 1 in 5 adults (18–74 years) experienced abuse before age 16, including emotional, physical, sexual abuse, or witnessing domestic violence (≈8.5 million people).
• Many cases remain hidden; about 1 in 7 adults contacting NAPAC had never disclosed their abuse before.
• In the year ending March 2019, Childline delivered 19,847 counselling sessions to children with abuse as the primary concern; roughly 1 in 20 sessions led to referrals to external agencies.
• As of 31 March 2019, 49,570 children in England and 4,810 children in Wales were in local authority care due to abuse or neglect.
• Abuse has long-term consequences: 52% of adults abused before age 16 later experienced domestic abuse, compared with 13% of those not abused.
• Child abuse continues to have lasting emotional and psychological impacts, including anxiety, depression, self-harm, and increased vulnerability to further abuse.

Furthermore, the recent investigation shifts the narrative in many ways. It reveals that many children are harmed not just in public places or by strangers, but in spaces meant to shield them. Hence, it debunks the idea of 'home is safe' and calls for even preventive measures by parents and guardians in every space.