Institutions that work with children should be required by law to report suspicions of child sexual abuse, a landmark independent inquiry has concluded.

The inquiry found crimes are often concealed from authorities, with allegations not recorded and victims “treated as if they were unworthy of protection” and blamed for the abuse.

One of the concerns raised by the inquiry is that many of the individuals who failed to report abuse to the police or social services may have failed to meet their professional or moral obligations, but did not break any laws in doing so.

It said “systemic change” is needed “to ensure reporting of allegations of child sexual abuse”.

The final report in a seven-year-long Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse said urgent action is required to protect children across England and Wales after it found many institutions have “historically inadequate measures” that fail to safeguard children from abuse that happened and continues to happen in schools, care homes and in religious settings.

Chair of the inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay, said: “The extent [of child sexual abuse] cannot be underestimated; the sexual abuse of children is an epidemic, that leaves thousands of victims in its poisonous wake.

“We heard time and time again how allegations of abuse were ignored, victims were blamed and institutions prioritised their reputations over the protection of children.

“I urge the UK government, the Welsh government and all other relevant institutions to implement the inquiry’s recommendations as a matter of urgency.”

Home Secretary Grant Shapps said: “I will keep the voices [of victims and survivors] front and centre in everything I do and I will ensure that the findings of the Inquiry, and their invaluable testimonies, are acted upon.

“To date, we have already taken action to tackle this abhorrent crime and learn from the lessons of the past, but I know there is much more to do. This is the start of a new chapter in our efforts to put an end to this terrible crime.”

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was set up because of serious concerns that some institutions had failed and were continuing to fail to protect children from sexual abuse.

During seven years of investigating, the inquiry saw 725 witnesses give evidence and heard from 7,300 victims and survivors who shared their experiences in person, over the phone, via video call and through written accounts.

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Victims abused in institutions

Some 36% of victims and survivors who shared their experience said at least one incident of sexual abuse they experienced took place in an institution outside the family home.

Schools were the most frequently reported location.

Within its list of 20 recommendations, the inquiry lays out that the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse must be an “absolute obligation” for those who work in the regulated activity or work in a position of trust with children.

The requirement of reporting, which the inquiry wants written into law, says “should not be subject to exceptions based on relationships of confidentiality, religious or otherwise.”

Vigilance is also key to the reporting, otherwise, the inquiry notes “there is a very real risk… institutions may continue with, or revert to, poor practice and worse still, actively downplay child sexual abuse”.

Online child abuse

The inquiry’s conclusions and recommendations for change also draw attention to the scale of online-facilitated child sexual abuse, saying it is “not just a national crisis, but a global one.”

They found children are being increasingly groomed and manipulated on internet platforms to commit sexual acts on screen, often for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

It said indecent images of children are being widely distributed and live streams of the sexual abuse of children around the world are prolific, with the number of referrals to law enforcement running into the “tens of millions.”

A change in the law for mandatory reporting is the best and most urgent place to start, it said.

‘Hostile, baffling’ compensation scheme

Many victims and survivors raised concerns and frustrations surrounding the existing compensation scheme, with some finding the legal processes involved to be “hostile, baffling, frustrating and futile”.

Building on the existing Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, as part of the inquiry’s recommendations, it has advised the government to bulk up the compensation given to victims and survivors by seeking contributions to the scheme from the institutions responsible for past child sexual abuse.