Two child sexual abuse cases re being reported every day in Cambridgeshire, according to police figures.

People are being urged to report suspected child abuse in a new campaign by the county’s force.

The Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (CAISU) are urging members of the public to report their suspicions after figures which show that between January 1 and November 30 they investigated 625 cases of emotional, physical, neglect and sexual abuse of children, an average of almost two cases a day.

Detective Sergeant Sherrie Nash from CAISU said: “Protecting children from harm, keeping them safe and investigating child abuse crimes in all forms is and will always be a priority for us.

“We have a dedicated team who take a child-centred approach to ensure the welfare and well-being of the child is core to every investigation.

“We also work closely with our partner agencies in social care, education and health to manage the safety of children and investigate criminal offences.

“The voice of the child is extremely important, they have a right to feel safe and not be in fear.

“Any form of abuse will have an emotional impact on a child but this may not always be evident on first glance so we urge people to be aware of any subtle changes in a child’s behaviour and report this to a professional.”

It’s often difficult for children and young people to tell someone about their abuse, particularly if they are being manipulated by their abuser or if they don’t think they’ll be believed. They might show it in other behavioural ways.

The Cambridgeshire community can help prevent further abuse of an individual by reporting child abuse today.

Sharing concerns doesn’t mean a child will be automatically taken into care.

Any reports will be carefully listened to, information gathered and then an assessment of the immediate risk will be carried out to decide the appropriate action.

Members of the public don’t have to be absolutely certain about their suspicions. If they feel something isn’t right they can talk to police on 101, the NSPCC, Childline or their local authority.

If they feel a child’s life is in immediate danger they should call 999 straight away.