The statistics on child abuse in the UK show a situation that can no longer be tolerated. Thousands of children are suffering every day in our supposedly civilised society.
The miseries of neglect the pain and fear of sexual and physical abuse and, for at least one child a week, death itself.
Over 650,000 people have signed the FULL STOP pledge. They have promised to help out as much as they can to stop cruelty to children. Their numbers includes the Prime Minister, more than 450 members of Parliament and many celebrity supporters and public figures.
In March 1999, the NSPCC launched the FULL STOP Campaign with a national public awareness campaign, including television advertising and billboard posters. This was to encourage everyone to open their eyes to the reality of child abuse. It used popular characters and celebrities. They also sent out to every household in the UK-23 million homes-information about the FULL STOP Campaign.
It costs £250 million to fund the initial stage of the FULL STOP programmes. The FULL STOP Appeal, led by Andrew Rosenfeld, has already raised £142.58 million towards this target.
Child abuse won’t end until there is a major change of attitudes towards children in Britain. Since launching the campaign FULL STOP more than 140,000 individuals have signed up to help.
Young people are more likely to be victims of crime than any other age group. In the year 2000 they looked at 89 Local Authority Crime and Disorder strategies and found out that only 47% of them addressed the need for child protection or victim support services. Only 36% of local authorities prioritised the safety of children and young people, and only 42% referred to direct consultation with children and young people, generally round the ages of 11-16.
Three-quarters of sexually abused children do not tell anyone at the time. Around a third has not told anyone about their experiences by early adulthood, because so many children stay silent about their experiences of abuse and cruelty they have made it a FULL STOP priority to make it easier for children to speak out and get help on their own terms.
The NSPCC’s mission is to end cruelty to children. Their vision and in most people’s vision in a society in which all children should be loved, valued and able to fulfil their potential. In other words, a society that will not tolerate child abuse whether is it sexual, physical, emotional, or neglect.