The child abuse figures in Northern Ireland are truly horrifying. Yet they only reveal a fraction of the problem because the majority of cases go unreported and undetected, leaving children to suffer in silence.

In an average week in Northern Ireland there are 3 rapes and 10 indecent assaults against children and young people reported to the police

1 in 4 victims of sexual abuse do not tell anyone at the time.

1 in 3 victims of sexual abuse never tell.

Approximately 1 in 300 children in NI were on the child protection register on 31 March 2004.

Approximately 1 in 180 children in NI were in looked after care on 31 March 2004.

5,335 offences against children and young people were recorded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the year 2003/04.

The government spends £208 per child a year on children's services in Northern Ireland compared to England where it is about £280 (Key Indicators of Personal Social Services for Northern Ireland 2003)

816 out of 1.593 people in Northern Ireland have signed up to the NSPCC's Be the FULL STOP since its launch in Sept 2006

- a nationwide call for people to act on child cruelty.

Be the FULL STOP forms part of the NSPCC's
FULL STOP campaign to end cruelty to children.

Martin Crummey, acting director NSPCC Northern Ireland said: "In September we encouraged 1,593 people in Northern Ireland to do something to stop child cruelty - one person for every child on the Child Protection Register. It is encouraging to see that we're over half-way there but there's still a significant way to go. People in Northern Ireland can show their support by donating or raising money to fund our 20 vital services on 028 9035 5765. For each child, abuse is a lonely experience of suffering and misery. It doesn't have to be like this. All children should be loved, valued and able to fulfil their potential. They have a right to grow up feeling loved - outside an environment of anger and bitterness. The emotional scars caused by abuse can last a lifetime."

"If you believe that a child is in danger, through this campaign we are encouraging the public to take action to protect our children. They can do this by calling our confidential helpline 0808 800 5000, by contacting the PSNI or local Social services Office. Doing nothing should not be an option."

People can join the campaign now by phoning
08000 12 12 11 or visiting www.bethefullstop.com

What does the NSPCC do?

NSPCC Northern Ireland provides a range of services to protect and support abused and vulnerable children and young people and their families or carers. We are someone for young people to turn to in times of need and also aim to make everyone in Northern Ireland aware of the role they can play in ending cruelty to children.

Through public and professional education, campaigning and lobbying, the NSPCC aims to achieve a shift in values, attitudes
and behaviour towards children and young people.

NPSCC Northern Ireland is calling on the public to use their tea break to take part in the NSPCC's Be the FULL STOP drive to end cruelty to children.

People can organise a 'Stop for tea' party with friends, family or work colleagues to raise money to stop child cruelty.

Caitriona Moore, NSPCC Northern Ireland corporate appeals manager, said: "Children's lives are blighted through lack of love. People sometimes feel child abuse is too big a problem for them to make any difference. But everything they do, however small, adds up to ending cruelty to children. It need only take a few minutes when you stop for tea to Be the FULL STOP.

"We drink 165 million cups of tea every day in the UK so think what we could achieve if we made every cuppa count."

To find out more about Be the FULL STOP visit the NSPCC website at www.nspcc.org.uk or to get a Stop for Tea fundraising pack call 020 7825 2968 or email stopfortea@nspcc.org.uk

NSPCC Services in Northern Ireland:

Treatment Services
Work to help children and young people who have experienced abuse to recover from its effects. Based in Craigavon, Foyle and Belfast.

Family Support and Sure Start Services
These services aim to enhance parents' skills and knowledge by working with them in a supportive environment. Based in Foyle, Belfast and Ballymena.

Schools Counselling and Support Service
The service provides direct counselling and advice to children and young people in schools and operates in South Eastern, Western and Belfast Education and Library Boards.

Schools Organisers
Schools Organisers are fundraisers who deliver the NSPCC's important messages to teaching staff, children and their parents and carers. They work closely with other NSPCC services to ensure that these messages are always up-to-date.

Young Witness Service
The service aims to make the process of giving evidence in court more understandable and less traumatic for witnesses under the age of 18. Based in Antrim, Craigavon, Foyle and Belfast.

Inter-link and Insight Projects
These projects work with children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour. Based in Craigavon and Omagh.

Child Friendly Business Practices
The service develops projects to help business make their contribution to protecting children.

Child Protection in Sport Unit
Works in partnership with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland promoting child protection policies and training with sporting organisations. Implements the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport.

Training and Consultancy Service
The service delivers child protection training to key agencies and organisations in order to protect children.

There4me.com
There4me is an interactive website for young people aged 12 to 16 years. It offers information, advice and real time on-line support from NSPCC qualified social workers.

Northern Ireland Investigation Service
The Northern Ireland Investigation Service is a team who work with voluntary and statutory child care agencies to investigate organised, institutionalised and professional child abuse.

Independent Visiting Service
The Independent Visiting Service provides trained volunteers to meet with children and young people who are 'looked after' by Social Services and have infrequent or poor quality contact with their family.

Stop it now!
Stop it Now! (N.I) seeks to raise awareness among adults about child sexual abuse. It offers a free helpline for those concerned either about their own behaviour towards children or the behaviour of someone close to them.

Three years ago Anna was referred to the NSPCC for post-abuse recovery work.

Anna, who has learning difficulties, was 14 years old and was living at home with her mother. She had told us that she had been sexually abused from the age of eight by her stepfather and brother.

Anna responded well to counselling and particularly to art and drama therapy. Over several years her level of confidence and self esteem greatly improved and her feelings of confusion and self-blame regarding the abuse were reduced. The following song composed by Anna highlights her journey and how she is feeling now:

Pain, upset, anger, sadness
Trust broken,
Not being able to tell,
What happened to me,
And then I told.

What a relief,
Felt good,
Got help,
Was able to talk and talk and talk,
Tired but felt good,
Starting to feel better,
Everybody should tell.

Approximately 1,250 children and 650 adults in Northern Ireland request the NSPCC's help every year.

In 2004, the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline received 3,932 calls from people in Northern Ireland.

Each month, 1,300 young people use the There4me website for confidential online advice on their problems.

NSPCC workers give talks on safety and stranger danger to more than 30,000 school children every year.

NSPCC Counsellors in schools hold over 700 face to face sessions with schoolchildren every month.

Every penny raised helps!

£5 buys crayons, brushes, and paint for use in art therapy which helps children illustrate their feelings when they find it hard to talk.

£25 buys an "expressive doll" which will be used in counselling.

£166 pays for a day's work of a Child Protection Officer.

£1,329 could pay for a year's provision of Therapeutic Services for an abused child.

£10,000 could pay for almost 600 hours of Schools Counselling.

We need your help - every action counts.