NSPCC calls for urgent action as North East online grooming crimes rise by 20%
Figures provided by police forces across the North East and Cumbria show that 370 offences of this kind were recorded in the last year
The NSPCC has called for urgent action as the latest data shows that online grooming crimes in the region have risen by 20%. Figures provided by police forces across the North East and Cumbria show that 370 sexual communication with a child offences were recorded in the last year, compared to 309 in the previous 12 month period.
On a national level, data from 44 police forces across the UK shows that 7,263 offences were recorded, and where police forces could be directly compared, the number of crimes had increased by 99% from the first year that the offence was introduced, 2017/18.
Of the 2,111 offences where police could identify the platform used, 40% took place on Snapchat, 9% on WhatsApp and 9% on both Facebook and Instagram. Of those where the gender of the victim was known, 80% of those targeted were girls, and the youngest recorded victim was a 4-year-old boy.
The charity has also highlighted that these are just the offences recorded by police, with the real number of crimes likely to be much higher due to abuse happening in private spaces where it is harder to detect. To tackle this, the NSPCC is publishing new research with solutions which can be used to prevent, detect and disrupt grooming.
Online child sexual abuse crimes of this nature can have a long-term impact on a child, often leaving them with feelings of guilt, shame, depression, confusion, anxiety and fear, with a 14-year-old who contacted Childline saying: "I feel so insecure all the time, so, when this guy I’ve met online, who’s a few years older, started flirting with me, that made me feel so special.
"He seemed to care, but now he’s insisting I send him nudes, and I don’t know if he just gave me attention, so I’d send him nudes. I feel like I’ve been tricked but I’m afraid what he might do if I just block him. I can’t control how anxious this makes me feel."
The new research identifies behaviours that perpetrators use, such as creating multiple profiles and manipulating young users to engage with them on different platforms. Now, the NSPCC is urging Ofcom and tech companies to take swift action on the recommendations, so that they can better identify and prevent online grooming.
The recommendations include:
- Implementing tools on a child’s phone that can scan for nude images and identify child sexual abuse material, before it is shared.
- Using metadata analysis, which uses background information to spot suspicious patterns. It does not read private messages, but it can flag behaviours that suggest grooming, such as adults contacting large numbers of children or creating fake profiles.
- Create barriers for adult profiles engaging children on social media platforms, like restrictions on who they can search and how many people they can contact.
- Tech platform leaders should commit to delivering services which effectively support and balance user safety and privacy.
The research shows that safety measures must be introduced at the same time to be effective, working in tandem to ensure harm is prevented. The NSPCC is urging for this devastating crime to be addressed, and is asking for those who hold the power to commit to using every tool available to them to stop perpetrators.
Chris Sherwood, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: "It’s deeply alarming that online grooming crimes have reached a record high across the UK, taking place on the very platforms children use every day. At Childline, we hear first-hand how grooming can devastate young lives.
"The trauma doesn’t end when the messages stop, it can leave children battling anxiety, depression, and shame for years. Tech companies must act now to prevent further escalation.
"The tools the NSPCC sets out to protect children are ready to use and urgently needed. Importantly, they mean that services can keep children safe while protecting all user’s privacy. Children’s safety must be built into platform design from the start, not treated as an afterthought."
Chief Constable Becky Riggs, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: "Police forces and law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to investigate these crimes, safeguard victims, and bring offenders to justice. However, policing alone cannot stem the tide of online abuse.
"We need technology companies to take responsibility for the safety of children on their platforms, as children’s safety must be embedded into platform design, not treated as an afterthought. We urge tech companies to act swiftly and decisively, working in partnership with policing and child protection experts to ensure online spaces are safe for all users.
"National policing is working closely with Ofcom to support the implementation of the Online Safety Bill, which marks a significant step forward in regulating digital platforms and enforcing child safety standards. This partnership is vital to ensuring that the voices of law enforcement and child protection professionals are reflected in how online harms are addressed."