MAP Forum

Almost 100 young children have been reported to Essex Police in the past two years for sexual offences.

Children aged eight and under were reported for alleged crimes including rape, sexual assault and making or distributing indecent images.

But as the alleged offenders are below the age of criminal responsibility, they cannot be prosecuted.

Instead, the reports trigger multi-agency responses led by Essex County Council’s social services department – but County Hall refused to tell us whether such cases were increasing or decreasing.

“These are really valid questions,” said Dr Elly Hanson, a clinical psychologist who formerly worked on child sex crimes with the National Crime Agency.

“Traditionally, harmful sexual behaviours would nearly always be a result of trauma that child had experienced. But now you’ve got this issue of exposure to pornography online as well.

“So your question about whether there’s been a change is really important, because it would help track the influence of pornography.”