Sex crimes by adults in position of trust up 82%

Thursday, 30 November 2017 07:00

A new report claims sex crimes committed by adults in a position of trust have increased by 82 per cent since 2014.

The study, by the NSPCC, says the number of offences whereby professionals such as teachers, care staff and youth justice workers targeted 16 and 17-year-olds in their care for sex rose to 290 in the year to June, up from 159 three years ago. Nearly 1,000 crimes were recorded over the period with a total of 77 of those crimes recorded in Yorkshire & Humberside.

Position of Trust laws don’t currently apply to other adults working with young people, but the government announced this month it plans to extend legislation to cover sports coaches.

The NSPCC’s #TrustToLead campaign is urging the government to go further and extend the law to cover all adults working regularly with children, including religious leaders, adults working in the arts, outdoor pursuits and other activities.

The charity believes the current loophole means adults with regular and intense contact with children in extra-curricular activities are able to groom them from a young age, and abuse that trusting relationship to have sexual contact as soon as the child turns 16.

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