A number of victims will have communication difficulties whilst others fear disbelief; further, feelings of guilt and shame or a lack of approachable and trustworthy people to whom they can discuss abuse especially where abusers are within positions of trust/authority will be likely to impact upon disclosure. Mencap write that abusers tend to be male and work hard to gain positions of trust, seeking employment in areas where vulnerable people are likely to rely…

Research also found that "women and men are at risk... perpetrators are predominantly men and usually known rather than strangers" plus "a significant increase in the proportion of cases of abuse of men with learning disabilities reported" was noted. However, despite increased awareness/information on adult abuse, service agencies have not developed coordinated systems for reporting or recording sexual abuse.

Children have an…