Some people feel able to report abuse straight away, while for others, it can take a long time to come to terms with the experience or to see a need to come forward.

Here, we’ve explained some of the most common effects of abuse to help you put your feelings into words. Abuse takes many forms and it’s different for everyone. Still, many of the consequences are the same, especially in terms of the way you feel. If you’re struggling with any of the emotions below, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions experienced by abuse survivors. It might manifest as nervousness in social situations, sudden panic attacks, or persistent worry about worst-case scenarios. These symptoms can ripple into other areas of life, affecting relationships, work, and overall well-being.

Strong connections with loved ones are essential for emotional well-being, but trauma from childhood abuse can create challenges that make building and maintaining relationships difficult.

Over the last few days we have seen calls from many for a national public inquiry into CSE and grooming gangs, which has been fuelled by comments from Elon Musk.

The festive season is often shown as a time of joy and togetherness. However, for many, Christmas can be a challenging period that highlights feelings of loneliness, grief, or unresolved trauma.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell has faced calls for his resignation from women abuses as children by a priest in the 1980s. David Tudor, a vicar in Reigate and chaplain to St Bede’s school in the town groomed and sexually assaulted at least four girls under the age of 16 whilst he was the local vicar and chaplain to their school.

Two ex-police officers who served in South Yorkshire have been arrested following allegations of sexual offences that date back to the 1990s. These incidents are said to have occurred while the men were working as police officers in Rotherham.