Two in three people would not help lost child for fear of accusation - survey

Nearly two in three people would hesitate to help a child who appeared lost for fear of being falsely accused, a new survey has found.

Two in three people would not help lost child for fear of accusation - survey

Nearly two in three people would hesitate to help a child who appeared lost for fear of being falsely accused, a new survey has found.

In research for the NSPCC, 64% of UK adults said they would be concerned about being wrongly suspected or that someone would misunderstand their intentions if they went to the aid of a youngster who seemed to be lost.

Nearly half of the 2,899 respondents (45%) said they would stay close by and observe – almost as many as those who said they would approach the child (47%).

More than one in three of those polled said they had been in that situation.

Fear of being wrongly accused or someone misreading their intentions was the most frequently cited barrier to approaching a child. It was more common among men (73%) than women (56%).

Three per cent of men admitted they would simply keep walking, compared to 1% of women.

Meanwhile 44% of respondents said they are more likely to report suspected child abuse following recent high profile cases such as Operation Yewtree, which was launched in the light of allegations about the late entertainer Jimmy Savile.

However, if they thought a neighbour’s child was being neglected or abused, 62% admitted they would be worried about reporting it because they fear making a mistake or causing the family problems for no reason. A third feared being confronted while 17% said they did not want to appear “judgemental”.

Peter Watt, director of the NSPCC helpline, said:“In many ways this survey is positive. People are increasingly willing to act if they suspect a child is being abused or neglected. Sadly though, whilst the right intention is there, people naturally hesitate.

“They fear making a mistake or they want to wait until they have more evidence, which usually never arrives.

“And, for men in particular, they worry their motives for approaching a child will be questioned. We need everyone to understand that taking action is always the right thing to do – whether it’s a lost child in the street or an abusive neighbour.

"This is especially important during the long school holidays as vulnerable children are more likely to need the public’s help.”

The charity urged people to use its helpline if they are unsure about what action to take.

Mr Watt said: “The benefits of the NSPCC helpline are that it’s free, 24/7, confidential and you can call us if you are unsure.

“Our trained and experienced counsellors will know what to do and can take the burden off you. It may save a child or help a family get the support they need to improve and stay together happily and safely. And no one will ever know you made the call.”

Since the coverage of high-profile cases the helpline has seen calls increase by 20%.

Mr Watt added: “The helpline has seen a surge in calls since child abuse issues hit the headlines in recent months and with each call costing £5 to answer we need to ask the public to dig deep.”

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