Child grooming in the west up by 62%, report finds

According to police figures, messaging app Snapchat was the most widely-used platform for online grooming

Child grooming offences in the west have increased by 62% since new laws concerning the crime were introduced, a children's charity has revealed.

The NSPCC said tech companies "need to be held accountable" after it found the messaging app Snapchat was the most widely-used platform for online grooming, according to police figures.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police described the offences as "abhorrent" and said it had a "dedicated and committed" team of officers working to "eradicate" it.

Avon and Somerset Police said it was "natural" to see an increase in reports following the law being introduced.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police said: "We know there is a social pressure for young people to share nude images online for many reasons, both with people they know and people they don’t.

"Combined with an increase in access to phones and devices, young people are now more vulnerable to these types of offences."

They added that reports of the crime had steadily increased since the offence came into effect as awareness of the crime increased, and that the force was set to launch a campaign on behalf of the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership to raise further awareness of online harm.

Avon and Somerset Police said the pandemic has been a factor in the rise.

"This can mean more people are online than in previous years, and social media especially is continuously developing and moving," it said.

It said Snapchat was "among the more popular platforms" for children and teenagers, alongside TikTok, pointing out that an increase in reports was likely to correspond with "improved parental controls on devices".

"The introduction of more safeguarding leads within education, sporting and community environments, and a better understanding and awareness of what is and is not acceptable," may also have contributed, the force added.

'Hold companies to account'

Rani Govender from the NSPCC said tech companies have "failed to grapple the problem".

"We'd like tech companies to really build children's safety into the design of their services rather than relying on children having to spot abuse and then report it," she said.

"Tech companies need to be held accountable for this."

The NSPCC has urged Ofcom to significantly strengthen the rules social media platforms must follow to tackle child sexual abuse on their products.

It said the regulator currently puts too much focus on acting after harm has taken place rather than being proactive.

The charity has also called on the government to strengthen legislation to ensure child sexual abuse is disrupted in private messages such as on Snapchat and WhatsApp.