Online sexual predators are increasingly coercing young girls into filming their own sexual abuse, the Internet Watch Foundation has warned.
The IWF confirmed 68,000 cases of self-generated child sexual abuse imagery in 2020 – a 77% rise from 2019. In 80% of these cases, the victims were 11 to 13-year-old girls.
In response, Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said:
“It is unacceptable that children are being coerced into creating and sharing sexual images and videos. Children must be able to access the internet safely and to learn, play and socialise online, which has been a vital lifeline throughout the pandemic.
“We have long called for strict sanctions for companies that fail to keep children safe. Tech companies must design software that has safety at its very core to protect children from offenders taking advantage of technology to perpetrate sexual abuse. No child is ever to blame for being groomed and manipulated.
“Every day, children across the UK are suffering harm online, and the risk has increased during COVID. It’s vital that the Government brings forward planned Online Safety legislation as quickly as possible - any further delay will mean children are left unprotected for longer.”