What is child sexual abuse?

What the law says about age and consent

In England and Wales, a ‘child’ means anyone under 18. However, the age of consent for sexual activity is 16. This means that sexual activity is always unlawful if one of the participants is under 16, even if they appear to agree.

Once a young person turns 16, the law recognises that they can legally consent to sexual activity. It’s important to understand what consent means in the law:

• Consent means that you agree to someone doing something because you want to
• You must agree by choice, and you need both freedom and capacity to make that choice
• This means you cannot be pressured or forced into your decision, and you need to understand what you are agreeing to.

Even though 16- and 17-year-olds are legally able to consent, they are still considered children under the law. This means they can still be victims of child sexual abuse.

There are also special legal protections for 16- and 17-year-olds when an adult holds a position of trust or authority in their life – for example, a teacher, foster carer, social worker, sports coach, or faith leader. If an adult holds such a position in relation to a young person and engages in sexual activity with them, they are committing a criminal offence. These laws exist to protect young people from exploitation and abuse of power.

Types of sexual abuse

Contact child sexual abuse

Contact abuse involves physical sexual contact with a child. It can include:

• Penetrative offences – when someone puts a body part or an object into a child’s vagina, bottom, or mouth.
• Non-penetrative offences – when someone touches a child in a sexual way with a body part or object, including through clothing. This includes kissing a child in a sexual way.

It is also a crime if someone makes a child do something sexual to themselves or with others.

Non‑contact child sexual abuse

Non-contact abuse does not involve physical contact, but is still a serious crime (and may sometimes lead to physical contact). It can include:

• Sending sexual messages to a child
• Showing a child sexual images, videos, or live streams
• Making, requesting, or sharing sexual images or videos of a child (sometimes called 'indecent images of children' or ‘child sexual abuse material’)
• Watching or recording a child for sexual purposes
• Encouraging a child to behave in a sexual way (online or offline)
• Grooming a child with the intention of future sexual abuse (online or offline)

Online child sexual abuse

Many cases of child sexual abuse now involve digital technology. Offenders may contact children through social media, messaging apps, online games, live streaming platforms, or image-sharing sites. They may target multiple children at once. Some abuse happens entirely online – for example, persuading a child to share sexual images – while other cases lead to in-person meetings and physical abuse.

Child sexual exploitation

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) happens when a child or young person under 18 is manipulated or pressured into sexual activity – including sharing sexual images – in exchange for something. This might be food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, gifts, money, or attention and affection.

In all cases, the person exploiting the child usually holds power over them because of age, gender, intellect, physical strength, or access to money and other resources. Violence, coercion, and intimidation are also common.

A child may not receive any immediate payment or reward, and may not realise they are being exploited. Child sexual exploitation can range from activity that looks like a ‘relationship’ to very serious organised crime.

Grooming

‘Grooming’ is a way that abusers gain access to children and manipulate them. It often involves building trust with a child or young person – and sometimes with their family – to make it easier to sexually abuse them or allow others to do so.

Supporting adult survivors

Some people who were sexually abused as children may not feel able to report what happened until they are adults. This delay in reporting does not make these cases any less serious.

In England and Wales, there is no time limit for reporting serious sexual offences against children. No matter when the abuse took place, the police can investigate and the CPS can bring charges. We treat non-recent allegations (sometimes called ‘historic’ allegations) with the same dedication and respect as recent reports.

Talking about abuse can be very difficult. For some adult survivors, giving an account may trigger flashbacks or feelings that take them back to the time of the abuse. . Our prosecutors make sure consistent and effective support is available for adult victims of child sexual abuse, such as counselling or special measures to help them give evidence in court.