An analysis of police data has revealed a troubling pattern of child-on-child sexual abuse within schools across England and Wales, with nearly five sexual crimes against children under 13 recorded each day between 2021 and 2025. The investigation, which examined official police records obtained through freedom of information requests, shows that girls are disproportionately affected, with almost two-thirds of reported incidents involving female victims. The data also uncovered almost 2,000 allegations of rape or attempted rape occurring in school settings, equating to one such incident reported to police every single day.
A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
The figures paint a stark picture of endemic abuse within educational institutions. Close to 8,500 sexual offences against children aged 12 and younger were officially recorded as taking place on or near school premises over the five-year period. While the majority of reports did not specify the age of the perpetrator, at least 1,890 incidents involved offenders under the age of 18, suggesting peer-on-peer abuse is a significant component of the problem.
The scope extends beyond direct physical abuse to include the possession and distribution of indecent images, with an additional 6,140 crimes recorded involving children under 18 during the same timeframe. For older students, the problem persists: 2,300 sexual crimes were recorded against 13- to 16-year-olds, and 9,100 against those 13 and over, with three-quarters of victims in these age groups also being female.
Systemic Failures and Institutional Response
The children’s commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has characterised the prevalence of peer-on-peer abuse as “widespread, normalised and too often brushed under the carpet.” Her remarks highlight a concerning institutional complacency that may have allowed such widespread abuse to continue unchecked.
“The scale of this problem indicates deep-rooted issues within our safeguarding approaches,” noted Dame de Souza. “This isn’t merely a school-level challenge—it reflects broader societal failures in protecting our youngest citizens.”
Legal experts and campaigners have been vocal about the urgent need for action. Andrew Lord, a partner at Leigh Day representing abuse survivors, stated: “This new dataset evidences clearly the horrifying true scale of sexual abuse of children within schools. Those in authority can no longer claim that they were not aware of how prevalent an issue this is.”
The Digital Dimension and Technological Challenges
Headteachers increasingly point to the proliferation of smartphones, social media, and emerging technologies like AI and deepfakes as complicating factors in addressing these abuses. In response, many schools have implemented phone bans and tightened social media restrictions in an attempt to create safer environments.
“The online world is changing so rapidly that it creates challenges incredibly difficult for teachers to keep pace with,” explained Soma Sara, chief executive of the Everyone’s Invited campaign. “The proliferation of violent pornography and harmful content young people encounter online makes comprehensive protection extremely challenging.”
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, described the incidence rates as “simply appalling” and called for more robust regulation of online platforms. “Ministers must be prepared to go further in regulating online platforms to better protect children,” he urged.
Official Response and Future Measures
Government officials have acknowledged the gravity of the situation, with a spokesperson describing the statistics as “appalling.” The spokesperson highlighted recent legislative measures, including statutory requirements for schools to respond to sexual violence and harassment, and training for staff to identify concerns early and support victims.
The Department for Education has also emphasized its commitment to teaching healthy relationships and consent from an early age, alongside the implementation of the Online Safety Act to compel technology companies to remove harmful content and protect young users.
Police authorities recognise that increased reporting may reflect greater awareness and victim confidence rather than solely an increase in abuse. Acting chief constable Becky Riggs of the National Police Chiefs’ Council called for a comprehensive, whole-system approach involving policing, education, social care, health services, technology companies, and communities working together to prevent harm and protect children.
The data, while concerning, represents only a portion of incidents, as it was compiled from 33 of England and Wales’ 43 police forces. Some forces used keyword searches that may have included cases merely mentioning schools, regardless of location. Additionally, reporting variations between forces suggest the true scale could be even more alarming.
Regional trends show a 4% increase in offences outside London between 2022 and 2025, with rates rising from 26.6 to 27.6 per 100,000 children under 13. These statistics underscore the urgent need for coordinated intervention across multiple sectors to address the systemic nature of this crisis.
Why it Matters
The revelation of thousands of child-on-child sexual offences in UK schools exposes a fundamental failure in our duty of care to protect the most vulnerable members of society. With girls comprising two-thirds of victims under 13 and nearly 2,000 rape allegations recorded annually, the data demonstrates that our educational institutions are not providing safe environments for children to learn and grow. This crisis demands immediate, coordinated action across government, law enforcement, education, and technology sectors. Without comprehensive reform addressing both institutional safeguarding failures and the digital pressures facing today’s youth, we risk perpetuating a cycle where generations of children continue to suffer in silence while abuse normalised within our school systems.
