1 in 4 teenagers receives unwanted sexual messages online.

Does your home have an open door to child sexual abusers? Increasingly, young people are being contacted in their own homes on online platforms and apps and asked for sexual pictures and videos, while their parents and carers are totally unaware.

There is a significant rise in children being groomed and coerced online by abusers into sexual activities often in their own bedrooms and bathrooms. Those abusers record this content via webcams or livestreaming services and share it across their networks online. This type of child sexual abuse is now the predominant type of sexual abuse imagery found on the internet.

This is happening now, and it can happen to anyone’s child. But you can do something about it; you can help prevent it happening to your child.

The Internet Watch Foundation provides a TALK checklist to help parents and carers keep children safe online.

TALK to your child about online sexual abuse. Start the conversation – and listen to their concerns.

AGREE to ground rules about the way you use technology as a family. 

LEARN about the platforms and apps your child loves. Take an interest in their online life.

KNOW how to use tools, apps and settings that can help to keep your child safe online.

*Image © Internet Watch Foundation