Cheshire Constabulary is supporting a new national campaign that focuses on encouraging victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation to reach out for support.

The campaign, ‘When You Are Ready’, has been fully informed and developed by those with lived experience from start to finish. It hopes to make victims and survivors feel seen and heard, to know they’re not alone and encourage them to tell a friend, contact a support organisation and feel empowered to take that step, whenever they’re ready to do so.

The Constabulary will be supporting the campaign – launched by the national Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Taskforce – with a week-long operation - where officers will be targeting anyone who causes harm to children across Cheshire.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Lee, Head of Protecting Vulnerable People for Cheshire Constabulary, said:

“The protection of children is an absolute priority for us as a Force and we want to make sure that those who would do harm to children know that we won’t let it go and we will take action in Cheshire.

“This operation and the launch of the national campaign will shine a light on this activity, but it’s very much our business as usual the whole year round. If you’ve been abused or exploited as a child, please report it to us, when you are ready. We understand. We believe. We care.”

The ‘When You Are Ready’ campaign centres on a hard hitting three-minute film which features the voices of victims and survivors who have experienced child sexual abuse and exploitation – this includes both contact and online offences. The film does not discuss the abuse experienced but details the experience each victim and survivor had in making the hard decision to disclose their abuse to a loved one, support organisation and/or the police, and the impact it had on their life thereafter.

It's hoped that the film resonates with further victims and survivors highlighting that they are not alone, and this is happening to other people, like them, who are living and thriving.

The campaign also aims to encourage further victims and survivors to reach out for support if that’s the right thing to do for them - whether it’s telling a friend or contacting a support organisation.

If someone is ready to take the next step in disclosing their experience, the film signposts victims and survivors to the bespoke campaign website directing them to a range of services and support organisations, as well as includes details on how to report to the police.

NPCC’s lead for Child Protection and Abuse and Investigation, ACC Becky Riggs, said:

“We want victims and survivors to feel positive and hopeful after seeing this campaign.

“From our work with victims and survivors, we understand it can take many years to process the abuse or exploitation that they experienced. For some, it may even take years just to acknowledge that what they experienced was, in fact, abuse, and not the loving or caring actions of someone they could trust.

“We also understand, from extensive research undertaken, that ‘justice’ for victims and survivors doesn’t necessarily mean a criminal justice outcome and simply telling someone can be enough.

“However, if victims do take the hugely difficult decision to disclose their abuse, they should be reassured that there are organisations who can provide help and support, whenever they are ready.”

To watch the film, visit: When You Are Ready