CHILDREN are twice as likely to be sexually abused by their brothers than their father or step-father, according to major new research by the National Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children.
The report, Child Maltreatment in the UK, based on
interviews with 2,869 18 to 24-year-olds, found that 4 per cent had been sexually abused by at least one family mmber as a child. Forty per cent of the abused children said a brother or step-brother was the perpetrator compared with 14 per cent who named their father as the abuser and 19 per cent who said their step-father was responsible.
Seven per cent said a parent or carer had seriously physically abused them by beating, hitting them with an implement or scalding them.
