Children 'as young as 7' in Merseyside being abused online
Shocking figures from the NSPCC has claimed children as young as 7 are victims of online abuse
The NSPCC has claimed children as young as 7 are victims of online abuse
Figures obtained by the charity from Merseyside Police have revealed 164 crimes were comitted against children using the internet as a gateway for offending.
In Cheshire it was the same number.
The NSPCC said 38 police forces in England and Wales had recorded 3,186 sex crimes against children in 2015/16 that involved offenders using the internet. Offences included sexual assaults, grooming victims, and inciting children to take part in sex acts. Most victims where an age was provided by police were 13 (535), but 272 were under 10 and the youngest was one.
This is the first year that police have been required to "cyber flag" sex abuse cases where the internet was used, although the NSPCC added that a small number'' of forces said they did not know about or were not using the Home Office scheme.
Chief executive of the NSPCC Peter Wanless said: "These figures confirm our fears that the online world is playing a significant role in the sexual abuse of children in the UK."
"It's clear that a large volume of sexual assaults and rapes of children have involved the use of the internet - for example by grooming victims before abusing them offline, or live-streaming the abuse."
"We know grooming is on the rise because children are increasingly telling our ChildLine service how they are being targeted online."
"Predatory adults posing as children try to meet them or blackmail them into meeting up or performing sexual acts on webcams, which obviously terrifies them and can leave some feeling suicidal."
"By revealing this first year of data we hope to highlight how police are under increasing pressure to cope with online offences so we have to ensure they have the resources and training to make them fit for tackling crime in the 21st century."
"The Government must make mental health support available to every child who has endured abuse.''
The figures were obtained via a Freedom of Information request to police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the NSPCC.