Mental health services must change to better support survivors of non-recent child sexual abuse, acknowledges RCPsych

Dr Lade Smith CBE, immediate past President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:  

“The fact that any child is sexually abused is appalling and terrible. It is also wrong that many survivors and victims have suffered avoidable harm as adults because they haven't received the care they need. They deserve compassionate, holistic, person-centred and trauma-informed support, and I am sorry that too often this has not been the case. We recognise that much more must be done to address this and improve services."

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has today published a new position statement Addressing the impact of non-recent child sexual abuse on the mental health of adults. This was co-produced with adult survivors of non-recent child sexual abuse (NRCSA) and highlights the challenges they can experience when seeking help from mental health services. It sets out future action that must be taken to ensure they can access the mental health care and support they need.  

Although rarely acknowledged, NRCSA is common, with one in five girls and one in ten boys believed to be affected by sexual abuse before the age of 18 in England and Wales.1  

Without the right help and support, the devastating impact of NRCSA on a person’s physical health, mental health and wellbeing, can be lifelong. NRCSA often results in survivors experiencing complex trauma and increases the risk that they will experience a mental illness as adults. It can affect their ability to form loving and trusting relationships, maintain their self-esteem, realise their full potential and live a flourishing life.   

On average, survivors do not disclose the abuse they have suffered until 16-24 years after it happened. There are a variety of reasons for this including the immense stigma that surrounds the issue.  

RCPsych is calling for action to increase awareness of NRCSA and its impact on survivors. The NHS and healthcare systems across the UK must develop and implement improved training, guidelines, clinical services and care pathways that provide trauma-informed care.  

The College will be creating a learning module to support psychiatrists in this area and is committed to working with stakeholders to support the implementation of the position statement’s recommendations. 

Dr Lade Smith CBE highlighted the enormous impact of child sexual abuse:  

"The impact of child sexual abuse is profound and lifelong, with an estimated one in five girls and one in ten boys affected, this can no longer be an issue that is hidden in plain sight.  

“Victims and survivors have shared that they can find it incredibly difficult to disclose their abuse, describing painful experiences of re-traumatisation when they do, when they haven’t been able to access help, or been provided with the wrong form of treatment. Mental health services that enable early disclosure and provide the right, trauma-informed care, treatment and support are vital. Currently, services are not getting this right enough of the time.  

"Providing survivors and victims with the right care and support must be a priority for all mental health services. 

“Action is needed to support staff and services to implement this shift in approach and ensure people can access the help they need, when they need it. Survivors present to services across the whole of the health system, from GPs to dentists to surgeons, and so it is crucial that improvements are made across the board, not just in mental health services. 

“Survivors must be supported so they know that they can seek help, and when they do, the right care is available. Clearly, we all have a role to play in reducing the stigma around NRCSA that persists across every part of society.   

“We would like to thank all the members of the working group who have contributed so much to the development of this position statement. The strength and commitment they have shown throughout this process has been remarkable and will help drive meaningful change for all those affected by child sexual abuse.” 

Professor Subodh Dave, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:  

"We know that non-recent child sexual abuse affects millions of people in the UK and the position statement makes clear that it has a substantial impact on the mental health of adult survivors. 

“Many survivors have complex needs and will be seen by a range of different services across healthcare settings. This means that their care can be disjointed and results in their needs not being met. 

“We need to make sure that we learn from survivor’s experiences, recognise their trauma and build trust with our patients. Continuity of care is critically important to this and helps ensure they receive the level of support and treatment they really need.”