Hawke's Bay child abuse stats 'depress' police

Detectives are battling an unprecedented rise in reported child abuse in Hawke's Bay.

Detectives Jude Hill and Wayne Steed said dozens of "courageous" Hawke's Bay children were coming forward to report the men who prey on them as abuse prevention campaigns struck home home,

Since January this year, 93 Waipukurau and Hastings children have revealed they had been assaulted by an adult -- up 25 per cent on the corresponding period in 2004.

Sexual abuse was involved in 67 cases.

In the year ended December 2004, 118 Hastings and Waipukurau children reported physical and/or sexual abuse.

The unheralded increase there equates to one new case every three days and is in stark contrast to other areas, such as Napier and Christchurch.

According to Inspector Kevin Kalff, 15 Napier children under 16 years were sexually assaulted between January 1 and October 31, 2004.

So far this year, 11 cases have been reported in Napier.

Statistics NZ figures reveal Christchurch had 10 cases in the year ended March 31, 2004.

Nationally for the same period, police laid 1135 charges involving the sexual abuse of children.

However, offenders often faced more than one charge in relation to a single incident.

For the year ended March 31, 2005, 1181 charges were laid.

Ms Hill described the situation as "depressing".

"It's not that it increases our workload; it's simply because it involves kids and more are being affected by these people who prey on children," she said.

It was sad to realise that there were so many young victims, Mr Steed said.

On the other hand, it was encouraging to see increasing numbers of children coming forward of their own accord.

He credited youth education programmes provided by police and organisations such as DARE for making children more aware of unacceptable adult behaviour.

However, Mr Steed believed that despite the increased police workload, the overall incidence of sex crimes against children had remained static.

"I don't think there has been an increase, I think it just wasn't reported in years gone by."

He encouraged children who were suffering to speak out: "If you don't tell us, we can't help you."

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY