Government confirms child sexual abuse and exploitation within scope of VAWG strategy after child protection groups’ letter to Home Secretary

Published: Fri 3 Oct 2025

The Government says it will take “concrete actions” to protect victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation as part of their upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy after the IWF and others wrote to the Home Secretary expressing concern they may have been omitted from the strategy’s scope.

In August, the IWF, along with nine other leading child protection groups including the NSPCC, the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, Internet Matters, Barnardo’s, and the UK Safer Internet Centre, wrote to (then) Home Secretary Yvette Cooper calling for the Government to ensure the forthcoming VAWG Strategy included “clear and deliverable objectives” to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The letter warned children ‘bear the brunt’ of sexual abuse both on and offline.

The move came after Sky News reported child sexual abuse victims would apparently not be considered within scope of this flagship new strategy.

Labour’s 2024 manifesto had pledged to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and the VAWG Strategy, which had been due to be published this summer, is a key part of this.

The IWF pointed out that violence against girls was impossible to separate from violence against women – and that child sexual abuse disproportionately affects girls.

In 2024, 97% (278,492) of the reports of child sexual abuse imagery confirmed by the IWF showed the sexual abuse of only girls, an increase of 14,246 reports since 2023.

The IWF said the Government’s VAWG strategy is a “golden opportunity” to put those girls at the heart of a real, concerted response to a problem which reaches into every facet of daily life.

Now, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has written back to reassure the IWF child sexual abuse and exploitation will be within scope of the strategy after all.

Ms Phillips said: “I can confirm that the VAWG Strategy will cover sexual violence. It will address all forms of VAWG through commitments to tackle crimes and behaviours which disproportionately, but not exclusively, affect women and girls. This will include sexual offences, domestic abuse, stalking and ‘honour’-based abuse which occurs online, as well as offline.”

Ms Phillips said the measures set out in the strategy would be accompanied by a “complementary - distinct, but linked” programme of work across Government to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse.

She added: “Let me also be clear that children who experience sexual abuse and exploitation are considered in the new VAWG strategy, as we take concrete actions to tackle these crimes. We also recognise that these crimes require a dedicated, standalone response. There is a complementary - distinct, but linked - ambitious programme of work across Government to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse.”

Jess Phillips MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Kerry Smith, Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, said: “This commitment from the Government to making sure sexual violence against girls is enshrined in their upcoming VAWG Strategy is absolutely crucial.

“I am pleased to see the Government has addressed the concerns we, and other child protection organisations, have raised. We are at the front line and see how girls bear the brunt of sexual violence on and offline. Any effort to tackle the systemic issues behind this must have their experiences at its heart.

“We now need to see the strategy published in full. It can potentially be a golden opportunity to address the violence which reaches into every facet of daily life. The sooner it can become a reality, the better – and we stand ready to help with this vital work.”