A major child protection agency has reported that online grooming crimes against children in the UK have increased by 89 percent in six years.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) reported that more than 7,000 ‘Sexual Communication with a Child’ offences were recorded by police last year.
The charity points to tech companies, calling for stricter accountability. Messaging apps like Snapchat are singled out as prominent platforms for online grooming.
The NSPCC Policy and Regulatory Manager, Rani Govender, said tech companies have “failed to grapple with the problem”.
“We’d like tech companies to really build children’s safety into the design of their services rather than relying on children having to spot abuse and then report it” she said.
“Tech companies need to be held accountable for this.”
Abhorrent offences
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police described the offences as “abhorrent” and said a “dedicated and committed” team of officers was working to “eradicate” them.
The police spokesperson noted that young people face increased pressure to share intimate images online.
“Combined with an increase in access to phones and devices, young people are now more vulnerable to these types of offences” the spokesperson suggested.
To counteract this trend, Gloucestershire Police plan to launch a campaign through the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership. The focus of the campaign is to heighten awareness of online dangers.
Avon and Somerset Police acknowledged that the introduction of a new law may have naturally driven an increase in reports. A spokesperson also pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a factor, with higher online activity exposing children to increased risks.
Stronger preventative measures needed
Data revealed the most common platforms perpetrators used to target children. They were Snapchat (48 percent), WhatsApp (12 percent) and Facebook Messenger (10 percent).
Perpetrators typically used mainstream and open web platforms as the first point of contact with children.
The NSPCC has called on the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to strengthen its regulatory framework to ensure tech companies act proactively against child exploitation.
The charity argues that the regulator’s current policies focus too heavily on reacting to incidents after harm occurs.
The NSPCC also advocates for legislation to safeguard children in private messaging spaces. It argues that stronger preventative measures are crucial in combating online grooming.
Sources
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News category: World.
