By this, we mean coercive, controlling or abusive behaviour by an intimate partner, ex-partner or family member or any form of non-consensual sexual activity by anyone, regardless of their relationship to you.

In England and Wales, the age of consent is 16 and any form of sexual activity with a child aged 13 or under would be considered statutory rape. There are certain types of sexual activity (such as sharing intimate images and engaging in sexual activity with someone in a position of power, such as teachers and doctors), where the child must be 18 before they can consent.

Types of sexual and domestic abuse include:

• Rape
• Sexual assault
• Assault by penetration
• Physical abuse
• Indecent exposure
• Sexual harassment
• Psychological or emotional abuse
• Violent or threatening behaviour
• Coercive control
• Stealthing
• Spiking
• Female genital mutilation
• Online or technology-facilitated abuse (including indecent images and so-called “revenge porn”)
• Sexual exploitation
• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Trafficking
• Stalking and voyeurism
• Financial and economic abuse
• Ritual abuse

This is not an exhaustive list.

You are not alone. 100% of the children and young people we supported last year experienced some form of sexual or domestic abuse.

How are children and young people affected by sexual and domestic abuse?

We may think of rape, sexual and domestic abuse as only affecting adults in relationships. However, 1 in 6 children experience sexual abuse* and 1 in 5 experience domestic abuse** before they turn 18.

Children and young people are deeply affected by sexual and domestic abuse, whether they experience abuse themselves, witness it at home or are aware that it is happening to someone they care about. These experiences often sit alongside other Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as parental separation, neglect or parental mental health difficulties.

The impacts are wide-ranging and include affects to their mental health, behaviour, relationships with others and engagement with education and employment. Our approach is holistic and trauma-informed to help children and young people understand all their ACEs, develop coping strategies and strengthen their resilience.

In the past 3 years, the numbers of children and young people we have supported has more than trebled. Early intervention is absolutely vital to support children and young people in regaining control of their lives and empowering them to develop positive, safe and healthy futures.

Whilst the state definition of domestic abuse only focuses on individuals who are aged 16 and over, at SAASS we recognise that domestic abuse can happen much earlier in life and we will support a survivor regardless of age.

Perpetrators are increasingly using technology and in almost all cases we see, but particularly for children and young people, there is some form of online abuse even when there is also physical (“offline”) abuse.

There are many forms of sexual and domestic abuse where the victim is not physically touched by the perpetrator. This can include, but is not limited to, indecent exposure, online harassment or threats, online abuse (including indecent images, so-called “revenge porn” and AI-generated deepfakes), surveillance of controlling a victim’s access to devices, and stalking and voyeurism.

Online abuse can feel inescapable, and survivors may not know where to turn. We want you to know that all the support available at SAASS is available to you regardless of whether you were physically touched or not.

*CSA Centre, 2026 https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-resources/research-evidence/scale-nature-of-abuse/the-scale-and-nature-of-child-sexual-abuse/ 

**For Baby’s Sake, 2025 https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/140319/pdf