The effects of lockdown are only now becoming apparent as younger children are groomed into sexual abuse online, according to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
The IWF is a UK charity which tracks down videos and imagery of child sexual abuse online and works to have it removed. It says that the pandemic saw thousands of children relying on the internet to learn, socialise, and play – something which internet predators have exploited to coerce more children into sexual activities, even including their friends or siblings, over internet-connected webcams and smartphones. The IWF says that in 2022 its analysts were assessing more reports in total, and confirming more online child sexual abuse material than ever.
Susie Hargreaves OBE, Chief Executive of the IWF, said: “You can’t put the genie back in the bottle. We have all adjusted our lives to be more online than ever before, and that is not going to change. During the pandemic, the internet was a lifeline. But we are only now unpacking the full effects. What is clear to us is that younger children are being pulled into abusive situations by rapacious predators, often while they are in their own bedrooms.
“Their parents are often unaware there is this online backdoor into their homes which is leaving their children vulnerable. I fear this could be the tip of the iceberg.”
She added that she agreed with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recently concluded that children must be given a greater priority in public life.
“We must now see national leadership from Government at the highest possible levels that brings together health, education, and public protection to ensure that the failures identified by the inquiry never happen again.
“We must act now to ensure the growth we are seeing in this problem does not become endemic. This includes continuing to invest in programmes and prevention strategies that prevent children from becoming victims of child sexual abuse, protect the public from predators and the pursuit of bringing offenders to justice.”
A downloadable guide for parents and carers is at https://talk.iwf.org.uk/.
Comment
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for Child Protection is Merseyside Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley. He said: “Policing has made huge strides forward but there is still more to be done. We have invested significantly in our dedicated online child abuse teams, our digital forensics capabilities, and our undercover online teams. Our staff do this tough work because they care about keeping children safe, identifying offenders, and bringing them to court. On average we arrest 900 offenders, and safeguard 1,127 young people each month. Our message to offenders is this: we will find you.
“Whilst we are working hard to target offenders and safeguard children, we need everyone to play their part in having conversations with young people. Education is fundamental to ensuring their safety online.
“The Online Safety Bill offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the internet a safer place. It is imperative that the responsibility of safeguarding children online is placed with the companies who create spaces for them.
“If you are reading this and have concerns about your thoughts and behaviours online, seek help. There is support available to stop you before you offend. We see the devastation left behind when a family member is arrested for this type of crime.”
In 2022, 199,360 of the URLs the IWF confirmed as child sexual abuse material contained images and videos made and/or shared via an internet connected device with a camera, as opposed to an abuser being physically present in the room with the victim/s. Often, a child has been groomed, coerced and encouraged by someone interacting with the child online. The amount of this material has increased nine per cent compared to 2021, the IWF says.
Parents are encouraged to follow the TALK checklist to make sure children are kept safe.
TALK to your child about online sexual abuse. Start the conversation – and listen to their concerns.
AGREE ground rules about the way you use technology as a family.
LEARN about the platforms and apps your child loves. Take an interest in their online life.
KNOW how to use tools, apps and settings that can help to keep your child safe online.
