Story
The NSPCC is Britain's largest children's charity and the only charity with statutory powers. I am fighting to raise funds for my favourite project ChildLine which answers phone calls/online chats from children reporting physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
UPDATE: I was interviewed as the lead story on Sky News (http://news.sky.com/story/7824/child-sexually-attacked-every-20-minutes-in-2011), interviewed by Heart FM, and spoken at a number of fundraising events to help raise £1.6 million. This is my personal page. Thank you for your support.
ChildLine is the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children and young people. ChildLine gives children access to confidential support when they need it and ensures all children and young people have someone to turn to when they are in distress or danger.
ChildLine is a unique service with over 1,000 active, trained, volunteer counsellors working in bases across the UK, alongside a smaller number of staff counsellors. They are supervised by a team of professional managers. Children and young people can contact trained ChildLine counsellors both online and by phone.
- In 2012/13 ChildLine answered 1.4million contacts. This broke down to 81% calls, 14% 1-2-1 chats and 5% emails.
- More than one in 10 children who contact ChildLine to report sexual abuse or fears that they will be abused, are primary school age.
- A total of 12,431 young people had counselling sessions with the charity's round-the-clock helpline last year, where the main concern was sexual abuse. Of those, 9,100 gave their age, with 11% (1,020) revealed to be aged 11 or under.
- For more than 40% of them, their call to ChildLine was the first time they had ever told anyone what had happened.
- Of the sexual abuse counselling sessions, 85% told ChildLine they knew who the perpetrator was while just 6% said that person was a stranger.
I know from personal experience how effective this helpline is and have been volunteering for the charity since 2009.
The social stigma of sexual abuse means that many children or adults never seek help. Let’s help those who do have the courage to reach out.
We now know that children who do not receive counselling and therapy are more prone to addiction issues, struggle with relationships, eating disorders and drug abuse.
Help me fight AGAINST abuse and FOR ChildLine. I’m trekking to Base Camp Everest in the name of these children. Please show your moral support with a donation.
Thank you.
Dinésha