Is Pornography Unleashing a Generation of Pedophiles?

Claims of child sex offences committed by other children almost doubles in just four years with more than 9,000 reported in 2016

By Isobel Frodsham For Mailonline

Claims of child sex offences committed by other children have almost doubled in four years, according to new reports.

The number of alleged offences reported to police in England and Wales rose from 5,215 in 2013 to 9,290 in 2016, children's charity Barnardo's has discovered. 

In total, there were 32,452 reports to police of alleged sexual offences by children on under 18 victims over the four year period – an average of more than 22 every day.

The alarming figures, which were obtained through a Freedom of Information request, strengthen calls by the UK's leading children's charity for action to tackle the growing problem of children sexually harming each other. 

The number of alleged child sex abuse offences comiitted by other children has increased to more than 9,000 in 2016 (stock image)

But the charity said the number could be higher as seven of the 43 forces in England and Wales either did not respond or provided only a partial response. 

The forces with the highest number of reported offences were the Metropolitan Police (5,470); West Yorkshire (3,192); Greater Manchester (3,024); West Midlands (2,876) and Kent (1,678). 

In Warwickshire there was a rise of 521 per cent. Norfolk saw an increase of 371 per cent and the rise in Lincolnshire was 345 per cent.  

Last summer Barnardo's warned that child on child sexual abuse threatened to become the next major child protection issue. It backed calls for a national inquiry to examine the issue and urged government to develop a national strategy to tackle it.

click on photo for link

That would require a national commitment to remove the possibility of adolescent boys being able to view pornography on the internet or on TV. Good luck with that. The viewing habits of voters, whether perverts or not, is more important to the government than the welfare of children. Children have no voice and don't vote!

Barnardo's also believes that age-appropriate compulsory sex and relationship education (SRE) would better protect children and help them understand consent, respect and what a healthy relationship should look like.

Barnardo's chief executive, Javed Khan said: 'Barnardo's warned last year that unless child on child sexual abuse is dealt with head on, it may become the next scandal in our society. These results are another wake up call to the extent of the problem.

'We're deeply concerned more children may be sexually harming other children. We know this can be because they've been abused themselves and may not have received the right support to help them recover.

Inter-generational child sex abuse is a serious problem especially in rural communities. It is not being addressed very well in any country.

'An estimated third of sexual abuse is carried out by children. Rehabilitating children so they don't go on to harm others is vital to preventing further sexual abuse. High quality age appropriate mandatory SRE lessons would help children recognise what a healthy relationship should look like.'

National Police Chiefs' Council lead for child protection and chief constable of Norfolk police, Simon Bailey said: 'We believe we can attribute these increases to more awareness and greater victim confidence. We also have to look at the possibility that more abuse is being perpetrated and if technology is facilitating this.

In total, there were 32,452 reports to police of alleged sexual offences by children on other children over a four year period – an average of more than 22 every day (stock image)

'These figures highlight the importance of building resilience in young people and educating them about sexual relationships. This can't be left to chance.

'I know from my own force that we are engaging with schools more than ever to educate and raise awareness of both the different forms of abuse and how to get support. It is clear from the increase in the number of reports we are receiving how vital this work is.'

Nusrat Ghani, the Conservative MP who chaired last summer's cross-party inquiry on Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) said: 'This latest research shows what a problem child on child abuse is, and why we need to tackle it. But it hopefully also shows that awareness of this issue is rising and that people are more likely to report instances of it to the police.

'Our report was right to put this issue front and centre, because for too long it has gone unreported and not been understood. The Government must work with schools, local authorities, police and voluntary organisations to tackle it.

'In this smartphone age, parents must also play a vigilant role in protecting their children from harmful sexual behaviour and from harmful sexual images that cause damage they are too young to understand.'

Rotherham Victims Still Don't Trust Police or Council

Rotherham child sex abuse: Most victims have not yet come forward for help, says lawyer

The Jay Report estimated that more than 1,400 children were sexually exploited

DAVE HIGGENS
The Independent

Only a small fraction of more than 1,400 victims who were sexually exploited as children in Rotherham over a 16-year period have come forward for help, according to a lawyer representing survivors.

A year after the publication of the Jay Report, which produced the estimate that more than 1,400 children had been raped, trafficked, groomed and violently attacked in the South Yorkshire town, David Greenwood said that he believed fewer than 100 of the girls involved have engaged with the raft of new inquiries.

Mr Greenwood, who represents 58 girls who were subjected to sexual abuse by gangs of men in Rotherham between 1996 and 2012, said the much-criticised police and council have made progress in the town in the past 12 months. But he believes many survivors will only trust the system again once a truly independent agency is brought in.

“Both agencies have improved in Rotherham in the last 12 months but survivors of exploitation will be unwilling to come forward to them unless radical changes are made,” Mr Greenwood said.

“An agency independent from South Yorkshire Police and RMBC (the council) is essential for the 1,400 young women who need help.

“I am aware of only around 50 to 60 girls having come forward. This means there are around 1,350 whose lives could be improved with specialist help.”

Professor Alexis Jay’s shocking report was published on 26 August last year. It was already well known that girls in Rotherham had been subjected to sexual exploitation by gangs of largely Asian men.

The outrage provoked by the report stemmed from the sheer scale of offending that it outlined and the horrific details included of what had been going on in the town between 1996 and 2013.

Professor Jay said at the time she had found “utterly appalling” examples of “children who had been doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally violent rapes and threatened they would be next if they told anyone”.

The National Crime Agency has been brought in to investigate historical crimes and recently announced that it was looking at 300 potential suspects.

A £3m initiative was announced earlier this month which will see a Barnardo’s team of specialist workers work with children in South Yorkshire who are at risk of being sexually exploited.

Press Association

So, progress is happening, just a little on the slow side.

Shocking Rise in Child on Child Sex Abuse a 'National Crisis'

Victims are increasingly being groomed by teenagers barely older than they are

Britain is facing a national crisis over an alarming rise in child-on-child sex abuse, a ­leading charity has warned.

One girl revealed she was raped aged 12 by a 14-year-old at the same school who escaped with just a court caution.

Now 16, the victim, who we cannot name for legal reasons, recalled: “When we first started going out he was really nice but then he changed."

How many times have I heard that? It appears teens are learning techniques from older groomers.

“He would control me by belittling my opinions and calling me fat and ugly.”

Her devastated mother warned other parents: “This abuse is real and it could be happening to your child.”

National crime statistics show 1,653 under-16s were convicted of sex offences in 2013-14 – up 269 on the year before.

The biggest rise is among 15-year-olds, with 358 guilty of abuse in 2013-14 compared with 279 the previous year.

But many more cases never make it to court. The NSPCC reports a staggering 4,200 children and young people under 18 were recorded by police as having committed a sex crime in 2013-14. It reckons a third of abused children were victims of other youngsters.

Barnardo’s says it is seeing more and more teenagers – mostly girls – expertly groomed by not much older youngsters.

Many abuse victims stay silent

The charity claims the scandal is being mostly overlooked as the focus is placed on adult grooming gangs such as those in Rochdale, Rotherham and Oxford.

Last night, Barnardo’s child sex expert Wendy Shepherd said: “This is a national crisis which we ignore at our peril.”

She added: “In most cases the victim believes the abuser is their girlfriend or boyfriend. In gangs in places like London and Manchester, initiation ceremonies involve sleeping with or raping girls, while young women are told they must have sex with gang members if they want to join.”

Wendy blames easy access to internet porn, highly sexual music lyrics and films such as 50 Shades of Grey.

Shockingly, Barnardo’s also reports cases of teenage boys as go-betweens to hook girls up with older men.

The charity’s Kevin Robinson said: “Kids are suspicious of people in their 30s and 40s approaching them.

“But if some 18 to 21-year-old comes up and asks them if they want to go to a party where they can get alcohol or drugs they are tempted.”

Is it possible to educate girls on boy's behavioural issues. I mean, if that really nice boy starts demeaning you, or controlling you, or even if he is just mean to someone else - like a waiter, get away from him. Niceness is not his real character, meanness is.

If someone is controlling you through your emotions, he does not love you and may be completely incapable of love.