Online child sex abuse soars - now half of all sex crimes against under 18s commited by other children

ONLINE child sex abuse offences soared in 2024 new figures show, with fifty percent of all crimes now commited by other children aged 10-17 years.

There were 122,768 child sex abuse and exploitation (CSAE) offences recorded in 2024 – a six percent increase on 2023.

Online abuse has increased with more British-based paedophiles being caught as members of international online child abuse gangs such as Joao Teixeira, 25, who yesterday admitted 12 charges in connection with illegal Telegram groups at Lewes Crown Court.

Two major national reports published today, December 11 2025, provide the most comprehensive picture yet of child sexual abuse and exploitation recorded by police across England and Wales in 2024.

The National Analysis of Police-Recorded CSAE Crimes Report 2024 and the Group-Based Offending Report 2024 highlight both the breadth of CSAE and the unique challenges posed by organised, multi-offender networks.

There has been a surge in online exploitation, with offences rising by 26 percent, now representing 42 percent of all offences.

This is despite continued evidence of high levels of under-reporting with wider estimates suggesting that only one in 10 CSAE offences are reported.

While the focus has been on grooming gang offences, these make up just 3.6 percent of all CSAE crimes, and offending by family members is more common with this making up 26 percent of all offences where the relationship with the perpetrator is known.

Females make up 78 percent of all CSAE victims, while 82 percent of all CSAE suspects were male.

Both reports have the aim of driving further change in policing strategy, developing work already progressing to take a data-driven approach, supporting forces to prioritise accurate recording and analysis to identify patterns and emerging threats.

Becky Riggs, NPCC Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, said: “In recent years, one of the most significant developments in policing is our renewed focus on the power of data.

"Careful analysis of police-recorded crimes gives us a clearer understanding of the scale, nature, and evolving threat of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending.

"This year’s reports make one trend unmistakably clear: the rapid growth of online abuse. As more offending moves into digital spaces, we must do far more - across policing, government, industry, and civil society—to prevent harm before it reaches a child.

“Both reports published today highlight the full spectrum of threats - many of which remain largely unseen by the public. They challenge us to ask: are we addressing all areas of risk, not just those that attract political and media attention? And what must we do differently to ensure every child is protected, particularly as offenders exploit online platforms and emerging technologies at unprecedented speed?

“Tackling CSAE demands a whole-system approach. Police, partners, and communities must work together to prevent harm, pursue offenders, and safeguard children—so they can thrive and grow into the adults they deserve to be. Protecting children online must now be central to that effort.”

Anna Edmundson, Head of Policy at the NSPCC, said: “This new analysis brings into focus the worrying scale of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and the growing threat children are facing online. We must remember that behind each offence is a child, who deserves safety, support, and the chance to rebuild their life after abuse.

“It is vital that we continue to build a detailed picture of when and where these crimes are occurring, who is affected, and how policing and government can respond effectively.

“Alongside improving the data we already collect, we also need to deepen our understanding of how children and young people experience this form of harm. That’s why we want to see Government commission a national prevalence study covering all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation to go beyond police recorded crimes.”