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Girls younger than six are being coerced into performing “disturbing” acts of sexual abuse online by predators with cases of extreme imagery reaching record highs, according to troubling new research.
A study, by the Internet Watch Foundation, found thousands of images and footage of children aged between three to six who have been groomed, manipulated and tricked into sex acts which can be discovered on the internet.
Researchers warn girls are being manipulated by perpetrators on live-streaming sites – with predators secretly recording them in bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens or dining rooms before distributing the footage on child sex abuse sites.
Researchers could see soft toys, games, books and bedding emblazoned with cartoon characters in the backgrounds of some of the disturbing content they discovered.
Susie Hargreaves OBE, the Internet Watch Foundation’s chief executive, said: “The opportunistic criminals who want to manipulate your children into disturbing acts of sexual abuse are not a distant threat – they are trying to talk to them now on phones and devices you can find in any family home.
“If children under six are being targeted like this, we need to be having age-appropriate conversations, now, to make sure they know how to spot the dangers. A whole society approach is needed. The Online Safety Act also needs to work because these online harms are getting worse.”
It comes days after a study from Ofcom found a quarter of five-to-seven-year-olds now own a smartphone while three-quarters use a computer or a tablet.
Offenders are gaining access to even younger children, which is simply unimaginable for us all.
Meanwhile, the latest research found online child sex abuse is growing increasingly extreme – with a 22 per cent surge in webpages containing Category A child sexual abuse material discovered in 2023.
While there were 51,369 web pages in 2022, this hit 62,652 in 2023, meaning it was the worst year on record. On top of this, there was a 38 per cent rise in Category A imagery from 2021 to last year.
Category A refers to material that involves penetrative sexual activity or images involving sexual activity with an animal or acts of sadism.
The report found girls constitute 94 per cent of self-generated child sexual abuse imagery which involves children of all ages.
Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat said: “This deeply disturbing report shows that predators are targeting younger and younger victims. My message to parents is to speak to your children about their use of social media, because the platforms you presume safe may pose a risk.
“It’s vital that technology companies implement stronger safeguards to prevent abuse, and work with us to bring predators to justice and keep our children safe.”
Ian Critchley, the lead for Child Protection at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), added: “Offenders are gaining access to even younger children, which is simply unimaginable for us all.
“But this isn’t just the responsibility of parents and carers – the biggest change though we must see is from the tech companies and online platforms. Companies are still failing to protect children and continue far too often to put profit before child safety.”
If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free of charge on 0800 1111.
You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000.
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331
Source: independent.co.uk
