Young kids being 'groomed, coerced' into engaging in sexual acts online, horrific report reveals

Disclaimer: Some readers may find the story disturbing. Discretion is advised.

According to a new report published by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), children under the age of six have been manipulated into “disturbing” acts of sexual abuse.

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As per the IWF's abuse hotline,last year was the most extreme year on record as it saw a 22 per cent increase in 'category A' imagery, which includes penetrative sexual activity as well as images which involve indulgence in sexual activity with an animal, or sadism.

For the first time, the charity looked into the data on abuse against children, between the age bracket of three to six, in the whole year. The report was focused on young kids who were made the target of sexual abuse when they logged into online platforms through mobile phones and devices within the family home.

"All 'self-generated' child sexual abuse imagery is horrificbutseeing so many very young children in these images and videos is particularly distressing," stated the report.

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The number of child sexual abuse images, which were 'self-generated', increased by 27 per cent in one year. These images are generated by the perpetrator as they remotely direct the victim and record them using webcams. The IWF report included a vast majority of abusive images.

"The term 'self-generated' does not mean that the child is instigating the creation of this sexual content themselves," stated the report's authors.

"They are being groomed, coerced and in some cases blackmailed into engaging in sexual behaviour. They are never to blame for the creation or existence of this imagery," he added.

In many of those images, the children were seen in a home setting and generally sitting in their bedroom.

According to the analysts, there were soft toys, games, books and bedding featuring cartoon characters in the background of the images.

"These are very young children, supposedly in the safety of theirownbedrooms, very likely unaware that the activities they arebeing coercedinto doing arebeing recordedand saved and ultimately shared multiple times on the internet," stated the report.

IWF appeals to warn children about online dangers

The charity has said that children, below the age of six, need to be warned about online dangers.

“The opportunistic criminals who want to manipulate your children into disturbing acts of sexual abuse are not a distant threat,” stated Susie Hargreaves, the IWF’s chief executive.

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“They are trying to talk to them now on phones and devices you can find in any family home. If children under six arebeing targeted, we need to be having age-appropriate conversations now to make sure they know how to spot the dangers,” he added.

"Thisdeeply disturbingreport shows that predators are targeting younger and younger victims. My message to parents is to speak to your children about their use of socialmedia,because the platforms you presume safe may pose a risk," said Security Minister Tom Tugendhart.

(With inputs from agencies)