22 February 2023 , 12:44
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Paedophiles are starting to use virtual reality headsets to view child abuse images and videos in a concerning new trend, the NSPCC has revealed.
Police forces recorded crimes using the devices, which wrap around your head, for the first time in 2021/22 when eight cases were investigated.
But children's charity bosses at the NSPCC fear this is just the tip of the iceberg and are calling on the government to act.
The charity says it believes that unregulated social media is causing this increase of online child sexual abuse and social media companies are failing to stop their sites being used to organise, commit and share child abuse.
During 2021/22 police recorded 30,925 offences involving obscene images of children, which is the the highest number ever logged by forces across England and Wales.
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Of these, a social media or gaming site was recorded in 9,888 cases - including Snapchat 4,293 times, Facebook 1,361, Instagram 1,363 and WhatsApp 547.
One 14-year-old girl spoke to Childline about her experience of being groomed online.
Speaking anonymously she said: “I was talking with this guy online and trusted him.
"I sent him quite a lot of nude pictures of myself and now he is threatening to send them to my friends and family unless I send him more nudes, or pay him.
“I reported it to Instagram, but they still haven't got back.
"I don’t want to tell the police because my parents would then know what I did and would be so disappointed.”
The NSPCC said: "We’re calling on the government to give all children a powerful voice and representation in future regulation by creating a statutory child safety advocate through the Online Safety Bill.
"This would put children’s experiences at the front and centre of decision making, building safeguarding into regulation and prioritising child protection."
NSPCC chief executive, Sir Peter Wanless, said: “These new figures are incredibly alarming, but reflect just the tip of the iceberg of what children are experiencing online.
“We hear from young people who feel powerless and let down as online sexual abuse risks becoming normalised for a generation of children.
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“By creating a child safety advocate that stands up for children and families, the government can ensure the Online Safety Bill systemically prevents abuse.
“It would be inexcusable if in five years time we are still playing catch-up to pervasive abuse that has been allowed to proliferate on social media.”