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Poppy, 18, waited five months for counselling support

By Chris Bell and Alison Holt

BBC News

Tens of thousands of child sexual abuse victims face long waits for vital support, a major report has found.

It takes at least six months for many to get help including therapy, advice and counselling, but some wait over a year, the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) report says.

Coverage is patchy, with victims facing a "postcode lottery" in accessing support, according to researchers.

Service providers say they cannot keep up with rising demand.

Some of them are forced to limit available support.

The government says it is increasing funding for support services and wants every victim to be able to access support quickly but acknowledges there is more to do.

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