NSPCC release child sex abuse figures
Eighty children aged 10 and under were victims of sexual offences in the county last year according to new figures.
The statistics, compiled by children's charity NSPCC, reveal that in 2008, 319 children suffered sexual abuse, 80 of who were aged 10 or under.
The shocking figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, follow several high profile child abuse cases in the county in the past year.
In October last year, 75-year-old Raymond Chapman was jailed for four years for showing adult porn movies to a child and then indecently assaulting her.
And in the same month Michael Corrigan, 46, who is already on the sex offenders register, was jailed for 16 months and banned from working with children after downloading more than 600 indecent images of children. He was previously jailed in 2001 for six years for sex assaults on a young girl.
Nationally police recorded more than 50 sexual offences against children every day last year. In almost one in four cases the victims were 10 or younger.
In Norfolk, 270 of the victims were female compared to 49 males.
Meera Spillett, deputy director of children's services for Norfolk County Council, said the authority was working to ensure all allegations were fully investigated.
She said: ?The welfare of all of Norfolk's children is our paramount concern and whenever there are reports of abuse of any kind we will work, alongside the police and other agencies, to ensure that the allegation is taken seriously and investigated fully.
?When we believe a child is at risk of abuse we will take steps to intervene to help ensure the future safety of the child or children within the family.
?Any child who is a victim of sexual abuse will be assessed and offered the support that they and their family may need.?
The NSPCC is now calling on the government to collect and publish annual police data showing the number and ages of victims.
A spokesman for the Norfolk branch said: "It isn't possible to make a like-for-like comparison between individual police forces, as different forces cover vastly differing geographical areas, for example.
?What is important to remember is that research indicates there are many more abused children whose suffering never comes to light. These figures therefore give us an indication of the scale of the problem.
?The NSPCC provides a range of services to tackle sexual abuse. This includes our help lines as well as therapeutic services for those who have experienced abuse and services for young people who display sexually harmful behaviour.?
Last year the Home Office began a trial project that allows worried parents to find out from police if someone who has contact with their children is a convicted sex offender.
In order to stop paedophiles from working or volunteering with children, a new vetting agency, the Independent Safeguarding Authority, is also being set up that will check the backgrounds of an estimated 11.3m individuals.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: ?Sexual offences against children are terrible crimes and we are committed to increasing the number of offenders that are caught and brought to justice.?
Norwich Evening News