Sir, It is true that most children are brought up in loving and caring families. However, that significant numbers of children continue to be abused across the UK is undeniable. Research shows us that one in six children have been abused by the time they reach adulthood. As a nation, we cannot turn away from these children.

Too many abused children suffer in silence. Three quarters of sexually abused children don’t speak out at the time. Children and young people who have experienced domestic violence and abuse wait more than two years on average before they tell someone or get help. They showed their pain in many ways: took overdoses, had nightmares, slit their wrists, withdrew or got angry with others.

Children suffer because people don’t know how to pick up the signs of abuse, aren’t sure what to do and worry about the consequences of taking action. The majority of people are caring individuals who want to know how they can best protect children.

Our national child protection survey will help to prepare people to act on child abuse concerns. They will be encouraged to think and talk about what they would do if they had concerns about a child.

We need to be honest about the sad reality of child abuse. Mick Hume (Comment, October 7) would be better taking action to stop it rather than fostering blinkered attitudes that help to perpetuate it.

MARY MARSH
London EC2

From Ms Natasha Finlayson

Sir, Last year ChildLine spoke to more than 20,000 children who had been physically, sexually or emotionally abused. The sad reality is that in more than half these cases the abuser was a member of the family and in almost all cases the abuser was known to the family. Children who do find the courage to talk about their abuse are still frequently not believed.

The real myths about child abuse remain that “serious” abuse is very rare and that strangers are mostly responsible. As long as we seek comfort in such misconceptions we will make slow progress in recognising and stopping abuse.

NATASHA FINLAYSON
(Director of Policy and Communications, ChildLine)
London E1

From Mr Trevor Jones

Sir, Mick Hume is quite right to question the NSPCC assertion that child abuse is more prevalent than we think. For this national charity to say in its latest campaign literature that children “are at risk from their parents” suggests that abuse is present behind every other door, yet the most comprehensive research released so far on this subject says that out of every 1,000 children just four (but still four too many) will have been sexually abused by their parent or step-parent.

TREVOR JONES
(Parents Against Injustice)
London N4

From Mr John W. G. Inge

Sir, Mike Hume, writing on the recent NSPCC advertising campaign, rightly implies that the use of exaggerated statements is unprincipled propaganda.

This is a pity as child abuse is indeed appalling. But there are now many other gigantic organisations, such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, for whom empire building has become more important than the intentions for which they were created. Facts that do not support their prejudices are ignored or even vilified.

The recent Red Cross report (News, October 5), following the tsunami appeal, demonstrates that many charities need a bit less ego.

JOHN W. G. INGE
Tenbury Wells, Worcs

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