Supporting victims of sexual abuse

 

As a continuation of White Ribbon Day on 25th November, and as part of the 16 days of action to tackle violence against women and girls that follow, we are raising awareness of different types of violence and how we can get justice for victims and survivors.

We know that, like a lot of crime, sexual abuse is underreported. When you’re ready to come forward, our specialist officers are here to support you.

These crimes can be committed against anyone – of any age, gender identity and sexuality – and we have a number of different teams to investigate, all trained in supporting victims of some of the most horrific crimes.

The teams who investigate these crimes, known as our Crime and Public Protection Teams, span the entire county.

We have our Adult and Child Sexual Abuse Investigation Teams – with one of each team in the north, south and west of the county.

Our detectives in Quest work to investigate non-recent child sex abuse. The team was set up in 2019 to support victims who are now adults and since their inception they have secured justice for victims all over Essex.

The Police Online Investigation Team – otherwise known as POLIT – works to safeguard the most vulnerable in our society, and they investigate the taking, use and distribution of child abuse images. They work closely with the National Crime Agency and other partners to ensure that the victims are found and safeguarded, no matter where they are in the world.

Another crucial part of our work comes from our MOSOVO teams, who manage offenders who have been released back into the community.

 

Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Baldwin, who leads our Public Protection teams has taken the White Ribbon Day promise.

He said: “It’s really important that the people of Essex know about the teams we have in place across the force.
“We have teams who support victims of domestic abuse, and a range of teams who work with victims of sexual abuse. This includes working with adult victims, child victims, and investigating non-recent incidents which can span across years, or even decades.
“Our specialist teams within Essex Police will always be here to support you.
“Sadly, we know that many people do not feel comfortable reporting these offences to the police. I want you to be reassured that my teams are specially trained to work with survivors of abuse, whether it was sexual, physical or psychological.
“We know that recounting these experiences can be very painful, and our officers and staff will be here to listen when you are ready.
“Last month, we obtained justice for a child who was sexually abused over the course of two years by jailing her abuser for six years. Our Quest team have also secured the conviction of a man who indecently assaulted a woman in the 1990s .
“If you have been the victim of crime, I’d urge you to report it to us. We want to help get justice for you, just as we have for others.”

Our specialist detectives are here to help you. If you need to report an offence, no matter how long ago it happened, or whatever the circumstances, please get in touch.

You can report it online but always call 999 in an emergency.

To find out about further support that’s available to you in terms of community networks, charities and support groups, please visit the SETDAB website.