Six child sexual exploitation crimes committed every day on average in 2022
“Child predators are incredibly manipulative and often children do not even realise that they are being exploited and abused."
Last updated 15th Mar 2023
On average last year there were six sexual crimes committed against children a day.
These new worrying statistics show it was also the busiest year for The Child Internet Protection Team since 2010.
In 2022, they carried out 145 searches, 43% more than 2021, seized thousands of devices and uncovered tens of thousands of indecent images of children. As a result of these searches, they made 56 arrests, an increase of 19% on 2021. From a combination of overt and covert activity, 83 targeted child predators in Northern Ireland were convicted last year, an increase of 38% from 2021.
Ahead of Child Sexual Exploitation Day on Saturday the PSNI are raising awareness of these crimes, with a focus on online offending.
They want to make parents aware that this type of crime can happen to any child, no matter their background, culture, ethnicity, religion or gender.
Statistics show that child sexual abuse crimes, recorded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland throughout 2022, have rose to 2,276. This is an average of six a day, and an increase of 86 offences from the previous year. Sexual communication with a child online has increased by over 30% from 2021, while the possession of sharing of indecent images increased by 22%.
Child sexual abuse offences recorded included sexual communication with a child, rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and possessing and/or sharing indecent images.
Detective Chief Inspector, Kerry Brennan said: “Children now have access to numerous digital devices at home, meaning they are at greater risk to be targeted by online predators with sinister intentions.
“We have specially trained Detectives policing our online spaces and wider community on a daily basis, but Child Sexual Exploitation remains challenging to investigate as it often goes underreported, hidden in plain sight.
“Child predators are incredibly manipulative and often children do not even realise that they are being exploited and abused.
“This is why, on top of continuing to target, search and arrest perpetrators, we are also working with youth workers, members of the hospitality and night-time economy sector and parents/guardians to educate on how spot the signs of CSE.
“We want to empower our communities to be the voice for a child at risk and have confidence to report any concerns they may have to us so we can investigate. We would far rather someone alerted us and for it to be a false alarm, than for us to miss a chance to safeguard a vulnerable child.”
For more information on the signs of CSE, please visit the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s website here: https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/keeping-safe/child-sexual-exploitation
Detective Chief Inspector Kerry Brennan says they are cracking down on the those responsible