“My body belongs to me and no one can touch it without my permission” is the new “Underwear Rule” launched by the NSPCC to give children an easy to understand position on abuse.

According to the charity around 20% of male and female children of all ages, skin colour, class and religion fall victim to abuse, usually from someone they know and trust, abuse that nearly always goes unreported.

The campaign coincides with the shamefully late publishing of a heavily-redacted version of the 1996 Jillings report into allegations of bestial cruelty – including buggery and assault – at children’s homes in North Wales in the 1970’s and 1980’s, cruelty that is believed to have caused the deaths of at least twelve young people. The report was shelved by the now-defunct Clwyd County Council and attempts to expose the cruelty constrained by the police and social services.