**Alarming Figures Spur Wales to Pioneer Decade-Long Child Sexual Abuse Strategy**
An estimated 25,000 children and young people in Wales fall victim to sexual abuse every year, according to new figures that have sparked widespread concern among citizens, policymakers and support organisations alike. Ministers have described the situation as a significant and escalating social issue, particularly as the digital age fuels new and complex ways in which children may be targeted and exploited.
In an unprecedented move, the Welsh government is proposing a ten-year national strategy designed to prevent, address, and ultimately reduce instances of child sexual abuse across the country. This ambitious framework, currently open to public consultation until September, is described by officials as the most thorough and long-term response of its kind within the UK.
Children’s Minister Dawn Bowden has stressed that the success of this strategy hinges on a truly collaborative approach, one that places the experience and input of those directly affected at the core of both policy design and delivery. “We have a responsibility to listen to survivors and ensure their voices shape every stage of our response,” she remarked in a public statement. Bowden described the new policy as “a demonstration of our unwavering commitment” to support survivors and protect children for years to come.
Recent research reveals a concerning picture: while around 25,000 young people are believed to experience sexual abuse in Wales each year, only a small fraction ever come to the attention of the authorities. Many cases go unreported either due to fear, shame, lack of awareness about available support, or mistrust of institutions. This ‘hidden harm’ is explicit in the government’s draft framework, which calls for much broader awareness, education, and reinforcement of both prevention and support networks.
Among the draft recommendations is an emphasis on encouraging adults who survived childhood sexual abuse to come forward with their stories. Authorities believe this process, although deeply personal and sometimes painful, remains crucial in dispelling taboos and breaking down barriers to recovery. The government also insists that professionals interacting with children, families and adults must be properly trained to understand the profound and long-lasting impact of sexual abuse.
Further suggestions include boosting the visibility and capacity of specialist support services for adult survivors, with particular focus on closing gaps for rural communities—where access to help may be limited. Of note is the proposal to establish “regional lived experience groups,” specifically for teenagers, ensuring young people across Wales have a direct voice in shaping the framework’s future development.
Welsh officials point out that, while other UK nations have introduced shorter-term action plans, Wales is taking a leading role in devising a comprehensive decade-long plan designed to carry through until 2035. The growing dangers presented by the internet—in particular, digital exploitation and online grooming—are cited as key drivers behind the call for such a sustained and robust response.
In drafting the strategy, the government collaborated with a range of advocacy and expert groups, including the NSPCC, Barnardo’s, and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse. Input from adult survivors has also been integral, ensuring that future policies are anchored both in lived experience and the latest research evidence.
Welsh ministers have also committed to engaging fully with the ongoing England and Wales inquiry into the sexual exploitation and abuse of children by grooming gangs, stating that national strategies must complement broader efforts to root out systemic abuse and bring perpetrators to justice.
The public consultation remains open, and officials are keen for as many people as possible—including survivors, families, and professionals—to share their views on how Wales can best eradicate child sexual abuse and support victims on their path to healing. The hope, say ministers, is that this decade-long vision will build safer communities and a culture where children’s welfare is placed above all else.