Children First horrified by scale of child sexual abuse highlighted in media

In response to reports in the media on Tuesday 18 February, that police forces across the UK are arresting 1,000 paedophile suspects a month, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First, Scotland's national children's charity, said:

“Children First are horrified at the scale of child sexual abuse highlighted in the media today. Whilst the reported 1,000 arrests a month is shocking, we know that this is the tip of a very deep iceberg and represents only those reported or caught.

"Most crimes go unreported or detected and that means children are left unsafe and at risk.  Behind every image, every message, every click, there are real children suffering real abuse. This should never be normalised or treated as an inevitable part of the online or offline world. 

“Children are being targeted, exploited and harmed in spaces where they should be safe to learn, play and connect. The rapid rise in online abuse shows that the current systems designed to protect children are not keeping pace with the risks. 

“We need urgent and decisive action across government, tech companies and the police. This includes stronger regulation, better detection and reporting mechanisms, more robust safeguarding responsibilities for online platforms and sustained investment in specialist support services for children who experience abuse. 

“Every child has the right to be safe both online and offline. We cannot allow this crisis to continue unchecked. More must be done to urgently protect children. 

“If any parent or carer is worried about online safety, Children First is here to help. You can contact our support line for advice by calling 08000 28 22 23 or start a webchat at childrenfirst.org.uk.” 

Notes: Police arresting 1,000 paedophile suspects a month across UK | Crime | The Guardian

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70nep7p9j6o