Child sexual abuse remains a hidden crisis in the UK. According to the charitable organisation Rape Crisis England and Wales, one in six children in the UK has been sexually assaulted, though the real scale is often hidden from view. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has repeatedly warned that many will choose to stay silent due to embarrassment or fear.
Against this backdrop, a brave teenage schoolgirl detailed her frightening experience of allegedly being raped by an asylum seeker in a wooded area in Nottingham. The 13-year-old told the jury that she was 'frightened' but was 'trying not to panic' when Abdul Khan removed her clothing and forced sex upon her.
