This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7877883.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sexual abuse calls 'at new high' | Sexual abuse calls 'at new high' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Almost 1,000 children were counselled for sexual abuse by ChildLine in Northern Ireland last year, the charity has said. | Almost 1,000 children were counselled for sexual abuse by ChildLine in Northern Ireland last year, the charity has said. |
| The figure has more than doubled in the last three years with a total of 952 children now asking for help. | The figure has more than doubled in the last three years with a total of 952 children now asking for help. |
| In 2005, 385 children were counselled about sexual abuse by the service which was set up in NI 10 years ago. | In 2005, 385 children were counselled about sexual abuse by the service which was set up in NI 10 years ago. |
| Paddy Shannon, assistant director, ChildLine NI, said the charity received dozens of "harrowing" calls every day. | Paddy Shannon, assistant director, ChildLine NI, said the charity received dozens of "harrowing" calls every day. |
| "Children phone to talk in confidence about suffering different kinds of sexual abuse, the vast majority of the abusers being people they know, either within their families, or the wider family circle," he said. | "Children phone to talk in confidence about suffering different kinds of sexual abuse, the vast majority of the abusers being people they know, either within their families, or the wider family circle," he said. |
| "They dare not speak about it, or ask for help, for fear of the consequences. Many of them have been threatened or intimidated into silence. | "They dare not speak about it, or ask for help, for fear of the consequences. Many of them have been threatened or intimidated into silence. |
| "We believe calls have gone up partly because of awareness campaigns targeted at children like the NSPCC Don't Hide It campaign. | "We believe calls have gone up partly because of awareness campaigns targeted at children like the NSPCC Don't Hide It campaign. |
| "Child sex abuse storylines on programmes such as Eastenders also encourage children to speak out." | "Child sex abuse storylines on programmes such as Eastenders also encourage children to speak out." |
| He said more children now understand what sexual abuse is and are increasingly willing to turn to ChildLine for help and that an increase in the number of ChildLine counsellors meant more children were helped. | He said more children now understand what sexual abuse is and are increasingly willing to turn to ChildLine for help and that an increase in the number of ChildLine counsellors meant more children were helped. |
| Brenda Horgan from the charity said: "The number of callers has increased and we have opened up more bases. | |
| "We need to expand the services further so that our aim would be that there would be no call that would be unanswered." |