But, as one victim of childhood abuse warns, the people we welcome into our homes can pose a greater threat.

Sexual abuse can cause depression in later life

More than 30 years have passed since Dawn (not her real name) suffered the torment of sexual abuse of a man her mother welcomed into their home.

But there are times when she still feels incredibly angry and depressed about how the innocence of childhood was stolen away from her.

"For years and years I've been trying to live with this or get over this, but then I can see an ad about abuse on the television and I feel nine years old again," she said.

Some 43% of 1,148 adults quizzed for a Children's Society survey said children should not be allowed out to play with their friends until they were 14.

However, Dawn, 44, believes this parental fear of strangers is out of proportion compared to the real threat posed by people known and trusted.

She said: "For every child that goes missing there must be an excessive amount in care after being sexually abused.

"As a child I was safer out of my home."

When she was taken into care she met many children who had also been abused by relatives or other people they knew.

Dawn said her own sexual abuse begun "as a young tot".

"I don't remember exact times, but I remember being touched in the bathroom when I was being bathed and it became our 'special secret'," she said.

Abuser's threats

The abuse became increasingly horrific over more than 10 years during which she was made to have sexual intercourse with her younger brothers as well as with other people.

Recalling how her stepfather put on a different face to the rest of the world, she said: "He would volunteer to take us out, and that made him appear like a really good father, but he would take us to the woods and that's where it would happen - it was really vile," she said.

She believes her mother was aware, or was just "ignorant" of the abuse, but added she offered no protection.

A woman might meet a good-looking man down the pub and move into a relationship quickly with him

Dawn

Her stepfather threatened he "would kill her" if she ever told, and Dawn remained quiet.

However, when she was 13, the subject of incest was discussed during a religious education lesson, and made Dawn realise the gravity of her own situation.

The teenager went to a police station, and her report led to her being taken into care, where she remained until she was 18. Her stepfather was jailed for several years.

'Strong spirit'

Despite her sad past, Dawn, who has had lots of counselling, has managed to build a life for herself and her partner in Devon.

"Fortunately and unfortunately I am a strong person and people have said to me throughout my life that I have a strong spirit you can't break," she said.

She added: "I still harbour a lot of anger because of the injustice of it all, I still feel it hasn't had a satisfactory ending."

She now believes parents and British society generally must change their approach to child protection if progress is to be made.

"A woman might meet a good-looking man down the pub and move into a relationship quickly with him, but instead of wondering about him, she is scared about leaving her child in a park.

"I think when people have children they have to behave completely differently, and not think they can just carry on as before."

She does not believe children are valued in UK society and people are scared to raise such issues, or criticise parents for fear of offending them.

'Assess risks'

Dawn, who decided not to have children, also believes newspaper campaigns which identify paedophiles' addresses are unhelpful and add to the hysteria about strangers.

She believes one way forward is to be more open as a society and that children should be taught to assess risks and how to deal with them.

"As a culture we don't mention the 'sex' word, but I think children have got to be talked to openly and told what is inappropriate.

"They have to be told it is appropriate for a stranger to pick you up if you fall off your bike on the street, but obviously not if they then take you home."

Dawn's views have some backing from childcare experts, with the NSPCC confirming that it considers children to be more at risk from people they know.

Its current campaign Don't Hide It, featuring hard-hitting radio adverts and a website aimed at 11-16-year-olds, encourages abused children to speak out about what is happening to them.

NSPCC head of child protection awareness Chris Cloke said: "NSPCC research shows that more children are sexually abused by those known to them - including parents, carers or relatives - than by strangers or those they have recently met."

"Parents and communities can help keep children safe by putting child protection at the heart of their thinking and by reporting any concerns as early as possible."