Call to action: A New chapter in our mission to prevent online abuse

Posted on 26 February 2024

Last week, we embarked on another stage in our campaign to deter online child sexual abuse. This major press launch focused on deterring people from creating, viewing or sharing sexual images of children online and shone a light on the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), an alarming and growing problem.   With more than 200,000 people contacting Stop It Now last year, this was the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the law around sexual images of under-18s, including those generated by AI, to communicate the serious consequences of this behaviour, and to signpost anyone who needs help to our Stop It Now helpline.   Read our blog about the launch.

A concerning trend   We also published new research which found that two-thirds (66%) of UK adults are concerned about advances in AI, with its potential to harm children among the top concerns. This is despite 70% being unaware that this technology is already being used to create sexual images of under-18s – a concerning trend that continues to grow at pace.   Whilst the majority (88%) of those we surveyed agreed that AI-generated sexual images of under-18s should be illegal, worryingly 40% didn’t know for certain whether they are under UK law currently. In the UK, it is illegal to create, view or share sexual images of under-18s – including images that have been created using AI technologies.   Read our blog about how AI is being used in child sexual abuse, an issue that our CEO Deborah Denis addressed in a recent BBC News appearance.       Coverage of the campaign so far   We were delighted that this story has seen over 180 pieces of media coverage including BBC News, Independent, Mail Online and The Standard to name just a few.     Get involved   If you’d like to find out more about our work to deter online child sexual abuse, please contact [email protected].   If you would like to donate to help us continue our ground-breaking work to prevent child sexual abuse, click here.     Share with your networks   You can help us by sharing this email and our social media posts about the campaign so that as many people as possible get the information and support they need.   LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Instagram       Have you heard about our website for teenagers?   Designed by experts and backed by young people, Shore is a safe space for teenagers concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts and behaviour.   Shore also provides confidential and anonymous advice for young people on grooming and what to do if you think someone has tried to groom you.   You can also find out more in our blog post.       Our training courses and webinars   Delivered by experts, our training programmes help organisations, professionals, volunteers and others working with children and families to further their understanding of child sexual abuse.     Secure your spot today.