Child Sexual Abuse within the Family Environment

This webinar addresses the pervasive and often stigmatized issue of intra-familial child sexual abuse (CSA), drawing on findings from 136 rapid reviews and 40 safeguarding practice reviews. The presentation details critical systemic gaps across health, social care, and law enforcement, emphasizing how children's voices are frequently overlooked or disbelieved, and how professionals often rely too heavily on verbal disclosures rather than recognizing non-verbal indicators. It highlights significant practice challenges, including the misinterpretation of behavioral signs in disabled children, a failure to understand the impact of domestic abuse on protective parenting, and the tendency to apply strict criminal justice evidential thresholds rather than safeguarding standards. By exploring cross-cutting themes such as neglect, coercive control, and intersectional vulnerabilities, the session emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced multi-agency training, robust risk assessments, and proactive strategic planning to ensure children receive timely, survivor-centered support.