The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned that adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse are being failed by the NHS when seeking mental health support. In a public apology, the College acknowledged that many survivors have experienced inappropriate treatment, misdiagnosis and avoidable harm when accessing mental health services.

Its findings suggest that mental health professionals have too often focused on treating symptoms, rather than exploring how childhood trauma can continue to affect survivors well into adulthood. Those of us working with survivors of child sexual abuse know it affects every aspect of a person’s ability to function in some way and the psychological repercussions can’t be treated quickly.

How survivors are being let down

According to the report, some survivors have been re-traumatised by repeated assessments and having to recount their experiences multiple times. Others have reported feeling as though they were not believed when disclosing abuse, creating.

The report also raises concerns about the limited support available to survivors. Many patients receive only a small number of therapy sessions, despite the fact that building enough trust to disclose childhood sexual abuse can take considerable time. This can leave survivors without the long-term, trauma-informed support they need.

In addition, psychiatrists often do not have the time required to build trusting relationships with patients, making it more difficult to provide effective long-term support. These concerns extend beyond those who are able to access services, with many people not receiving mental health support at all because services are stretched

The impact of child sexual abuse

Estimates suggest that almost one in ten adults in England and Wales experienced sexual abuse during childhood. Around two-thirds have not disclosed the abuse to any service by the time they reach adulthood, while one in five never disclose their experiences at all. The most respected source, the CSA centre estimates 500,000  chilldren experience some form of sexual abuse each year.

The report notes that childhood sexual abuse can have significant and lasting consequences for mental health. Survivors face an increased risk of depression, anxiety, complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), self-harm, eating disorders and substance misuse.

These long-term effects highlight the importance of ensuring that survivors have access to appropriate, trauma-informed support when they choose to seek help. For many survivors, accessing the right support can play a crucial role in both recovery and long-term wellbeing.

A call for better training

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, these issues extend beyond individual clinicians and reflect wider problems within the mental health system. Services are described as fragmented, with many patients receiving only short periods of care despite requiring long-term specialist support.

To better understand these challenges, the College established a working group made up of experts, psychiatrists and survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The group included survivor Caroline Thompson and was chaired by leading consultant psychiatrists Dr Jo Stubley and Dr Maria Podlejska-Eyres

Following its review, the Royal College of Psychiatrists called for a number of changes to improve support for survivors. These include enhanced training for mental health professionals, a greater focus on trauma-informed care, the publication of national guidance on recognising and responding to disclosures of historic child sexual abuse, and reforms designed to provide survivors with access to longer-term support.

The findings represent a significant acknowledgement of the challenges many survivors face when seeking mental health treatment. While campaigners have welcomed the apology, they have also stressed that meaningful reform must follow. The recommendations put forward by the Royal College of Psychiatrists may prove an important step towards ensuring survivors receive the long-term, trauma-informed support they need.

We suggest targeted funding needs to go to the highly skilled support organisations so money can be spent directly on good therapeutic support for survivors of CSA. The Survivors Trust is able to find the best support through its member organisations.

Find out how Switalskis can help you

Every survivor of abuse deserves justice. That means holding perpetrators fully accountable, and it also means ensuring survivors are supported to reclaim their voice, rebuild their sense of control, and pursue the compensation they are entitled to for the harm they have suffered.

At Switalskis, our specialist abuse lawyers have decades of experience in representing survivors of child sexual exploitation. We understand that such cases are very emotional for clients and often legally complex, therefore we are dedicated to providing a supportive and professional environment in which our clients can feel confident in our services. We are committed to ensuring our clients receive the compensation they deserve.

If you have been impacted and would like to discuss your experience in confidence, our specialist abuse team   can help. Call 0800 1380 458  or email help@switalskis.com.