A charity has launched a new survey to gather data about the prevalence and effects of child sex abuse in Bermuda.

Debi Ray-Rivers, the founder and chief executive of Saving Children and Revealing Secrets, said the survey will help the organisation to “understand the true scope and consequences of abuse, so we can continue to align our advocacy efforts, awareness-raising strategies and trainings to Bermuda’s specific content and meet the needs of our survivors”.

No questions in the survey are mandatory to answer and all responses are anonymous.

Scars provides training and resources to reduce child sexual abuse in Bermuda and support affected families. Almost 15,000 people, or 25 per cent of Bermuda’s population, have received training from the charity since 2011.

Ms Ray-Rivers said: “We are so grateful for the community’s continued support of our mission to create a safer Bermuda for our children, your time and honesty in this survey are so appreciated.”

Members of the public can access the survey via an online link or by visiting the charity’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and have until 11.59pm on June 30 to do so.

It is recommended that survey respondents be at least 18 years old.