In its annual report, The Internet Watch Foundation has said that images of children aged as young as seven being abused online have risen by almost two thirds, while the number of webpages found to contain the most extreme material has doubled in recent years.
In response, Barnardo’s Chief Executive Lynn Perry MBE said:
“The increase in the amount of child abuse material online is horrific. Barnardo’s is concerned that online pornography normalises the sexualisation of children: including through legal pornographic content which suggests sexual activity with children. For some adults, consuming this kind of content online can act as a gateway to accessing illegal material featuring child sexual abuse and potentially abusing children online and offline.
“Every day, Barnardo’s sees the impact of abuse and exploitation on children through our frontline services. More must be done to keep children safe on and offline, to prevent sexual exploitation, and to stop adults coercing children into creating and sending harmful images.
“The Online Safety Bill is a unique opportunity to improve protections for children, but it must be strengthened. Pornography which is illegal to buy offline remains legal and prevalent online, and we urge the Government to amend the Bill and address this disparity.”