ChildLine Urges Children to Speak Up on Physical Abuse

CHILDLINE is launching a major campaign to encourage children to speak out about physical abuse as new figures show a link to self-harm and truancy.

The national children's charity has launched a powerful viral this week starring child actor Sammy Williams (Wild Bill) and Neil Maskell (Football Factory) as his father, to help young people recognise the signs of abuse, understand that it's not their fault and to seek help sooner.

The issue of physical abuse remains a priority for ChildLine. In 2011/12, almost one in 10 counselling interactions was regarding physical abuse (almost 28,000).

Last year (2011/12) the ChildLine base in Liverpool had 1,071 counselling interactions with a child or young person' who spoke about physical abuse. Of those, 345 described the abuse as hitting and 166 as hitting with an object.

In cases reported to ChildLine nationally during this period, the perpetrator was equally as likely to be the child's mother (32%) as it was the father (31%). A further one in 10 reported that both parents had physically abused them.

The vast majority of young people contacting ChildLine about physical abuse were aged between 12 and 15 however, alarmingly 24% were under the age of 11 and a few were as young as 5 years old. At the Liverpool base 128 children and young people making contact were 11 years and under.

A teenager contacting a counsellor at the Liverpool base said:- "My father is physically abusing me. I have spoken to the Police and social services are involved. I am finding difficult to cope with this. I have started to self harm now and feel like I have no support."

Another young person who contacted the Liverpool base said:- "My dad is violent towards me and it's getting worse and worse. I have been looking for a job but have not been able to find anything. I want a job so I can move out."

And new figures from a ChildLine self-selecting survey of 1,730 children and young people found that over 1,300 had suffered some level of abuse. Half of those who had suffered abuse said it had caused them to self-harm with over a quarter confessed to skipping school as a result of being abused. Children reported that they were being punched, kicked or having their hair pulled.

Pete, who was physically abused when he was younger, said:- "Over the years, my mum kicked and beat me, throttled me, threw me down the stairs and pushed me into a scolding hot bath. But even though she could be really nasty, she could be loving too. It was just that you'd never know when she was going to flip. For a long time, I accepted what was going on at home as normal. But no child should have to live in fear or on edge in their own home – that's the place they should feel safest."

ChildLine President Esther Rantzen says:- "It is devastating that so many vulnerable children are being seriously physically hurt, so often by the people closest to them, in their own homes where they should be safe but all too often they feel unable to speak to anybody about it. The suffering they endure in their young lives, often maps out their future. It is absolutely vital that children know there is always somebody they can trust at ChildLine, who will listen to them in complete confidence, comfort and protect them."

Christine Mellor, ChildLine area manager for ChildLine in Liverpool added:- "We know that physical abuse has a hugely detrimental effect on children's behaviour and education. Children and young people often express their feelings by causing harm to themselves or others. We also know that a child's normal development can be damaged by witnessing or experiencing physical or emotional abuse at a young age. Seeking help as soon as possible can reduce the long term damage of physical abuse."

TV celebrity, Childline counsellor and key spokesperson, Anna Williamson is also supporting this campaign. "I listen to just a few of the young people who contact ChildLine every day in their hundreds and I know from first hand experience how essential it is to raise awareness of issues such as physical abuse. Every young person is entitled to a voice and to be listened to in confidence. I'm so proud to support ChildLine in this campaign both as a ChildLine Ambassador and as a volunteer counsellor."

To view the film, please go to ChildLine's website  or their YouTube channel:- youtube.com/childline.

WITNESS APPEAL - THEFT OF TOOLS FROM SHED - SOUTHPORT

MERSEYSIDE Police are investigating the theft of gardening machinery and tools, that were stolen from a shed in Southport. Officers from the force were called to the equipment shed at Hesketh Park following the offence, which happened between 5pm on 21 June 2012 and 7am on 22 June 2012, when offenders forced the lock and stole a number of items.

The items stolen include:-

► Stihl machinery
► Backpack blower, serial number TLG 6542
► Brushcutter fs, serial number TLG 6461
► Brushcutter fs, serial number TLG 6734
► Hedgecutter, serial number TLG 4640
► Handheld blower, serial number TLG 7235

PC Andy Billingsley said:- "We are appealing to anyone with any information in connection to the incident to come forward. We are particularly keen to hear from those who may have seen anyone in the area acting suspiciously around the time of the incident or in the days prior to the offence in case they have any information that could help the investigation. We would also like to hear from anyone who may have been sold any of these items; the serial numbers are stamped onto the machinery so they should be quite distinctive."

Anyone with any information is asked to call Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777 3441 or on:- 0151 777 3442.  Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.