Sex crimes in schools double

The NZ Herald reports that sexual assaults have risen 15 per cent in a year - and at schools they've doubled.

The crime statistics for 2011, released yesterday, show rapes and other sex offences bucking the downward trend in crime.

But there is a suggestion that the increase in the figures simply reflects better reporting of previously under-reported sex crimes.

Sex offences at schools or other educational institutions rose from 61 to 122.

Alan Bell from the child protection agency ECPAT Child ALERT is concerned. “This is a disturbing statistic. There is something terribly wrong if the sex crimes in schools have doubled in the space of one year. The statement that this may be due to improved information sharing and better reporting may be true but it misses the point. The fact is that children are being abused and it is happening within our schools and learning institutions.”

Police Minister Anne Tolley says "There was a rise in recorded sexual assault and related offences, and much of this will be down to better information sharing between police and other agencies,"

"It's encouraging that more victims feel confident enough to come forward in an area which had been under-reported in the past."

Bell says “We believe the cases of sexual abuse are still under reported and that more effort needs to be made to prevent the sexual abuse of children and youth in the first instance. Prevention is always better than trying to deal with traumatised victims. The educational curriculum needs to strengthen the approach to education on child rights and child protection. In addition every place where children are being cared for should have a child protection policy in place that is understood by staff and pupils alike.”

ECPAT Child ALERT is a charitable trust working to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.

ENDS

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