Young people feel under pressure to 'sext', says The Children's Society

Rob Jackson, North West Area Director for The Children's Society

Rob Jackson, the North West Area Director for The Children’s Society, which supports children at risk of child sexual exploitation, and which is part of the Project Phoenix coalition, said: “We know from talking to young people that online grooming, including ‘sexting’ is a growing issue – and this can sometimes involve their peers.

“We carried out a survey as part of our new campaign, Seriously Awkward, which aims to improve support for 16-and-17-year-olds - and thirty-eight per cent of young people in that age bracket who said they felt under pressure to send explicit pictures said this had come from someone they had met online.

“We were also among the authors of a new report earlier this month which found that young people with learning disabilities were particularly vulnerable to online grooming.

“Any photo or communication sent through social media or a smart phone app, may feel private at the time, but can quickly be seen online by people all over the world.

“And we know that in some cases online groomers will look to meet the child they are talking to.

“That is why we are supporting this week of action with our Project Phoenix partners and urging young people, parents and carers to ensure some basic rules are followed when it comes to online safety – things like checking privacy settings and being careful who they talk to.

“But help is out there for anyone with concerns about online safety including from local specialist child sexual exploitation teams at www.itsnotokay.co.uk/get-help/ or from Childline at www.childline.org.uk or on 0800 1111.”