Online grooming crimes have reached record levels across the UK, with offences topping 7,000 for the first time, new data NSPCC compiled reveals.
The figures, provided by 45 UK police forces, show 7,062 Sexual Communication with a Child offences were recorded in 2023/24 – up 89% since 2017/18 when the offence first came into force.
The data reveals the most common platforms that perpetrators used to target children online, in cases where the means of communication was disclosed.
- Snapchat 48%
- WhatsApp (Meta) 12%
- Facebook and Messenger (Meta) 10%
- Instagram (Meta) 6%
- Kik 5%.
Perpetrators typically used mainstream and open web platforms as the first point of contact with children.
This can include social media chat apps, video games and messaging apps on consoles, dating sites and chatrooms. Perpetrators then encourage children to continue communication on private and encrypted messaging platforms where abuse can proceed undetected.
Of total cases where gender was known in 2023/24, 81% of children targeted were girls. The youngest victim of online grooming in 2023/24 was a 5-year-old boy.
NSPCC are urging Ofcom to significantly strengthen the rules that social media platforms must follow to tackle child sexual abuse.
The regulator currently puts too much focus on acting after harm has taken place, they stated. They would like rules to be in place so that platforms have to be proactive to ensure the design features of social media apps are not contributing to abuse.
They are also calling on the UK government to strengthen legislation to ensure child sexual abuse is disrupted in private messages such as on Snapchat and WhatsApp.
