Heavy users of pornography are being drawn into viewing child abuse images online as their habits get more extreme, a charity has claimed. The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which runs a helpline for those concerned about accessing images of children being abused, said some users who view online pornography for long periods of time find themselves “desensitised” to mainstream material.
This can lead to them seeking out more extreme types of pornography, and in some cases this escalates further to them viewing images of child abuse, the charity says. Among people who access the helpline, the majority who have viewed such images say this behaviour started after extensive use of legal pornography.
The number of people accessing the LFF Stop it Now! helpline has risen by two-thirds in the past year to more than 270,000. Both offenders and their loved ones contact the service with concerns about online sexual behaviour towards children.
Director of Stop It Now! UK and Ireland, Donald Findlater, said: “The way people use pornography today is unrecognisable from 20 years ago. The days of top-shelf magazines have been replaced by sophisticated methods that can show people things online they weren’t looking for or usually interested in.
“This can mean people then search for and need more extreme videos to be satisfied, with some individuals then looking for under-age material and offending as a result.” It is estimated there are up to 850,000 adults in the UK who pose a sexual threat to children, according to the National Crime Agency.
Mr Findlater added: “Our message to anyone on that path, or already offending, is that these pictures and videos cause huge harm to the children in them. And watching them has massive consequences for the viewer, including possible arrest, jail, job loss and family breakdown. But it isn’t too late to stop.
“The thousands of men who call us after being arrested tell us they wish they’d made a change and stopped sooner. Many felt they were in a cycle they couldn’t break and we helped them find a way out – to stop and to stay stopped.”
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Thousands of people access the helpline through warnings made to users trying to search for illegal terms on sites such as Pornhub. Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations, said: “The fight against online child sexual abuse will never stop and these most recent figures outlining the rise in people seeking help serves to highlight the focus and priority that all of society must place on preventing these awful crimes.
“Viewing sexual images of children online is never victimless. These are crimes which destroy and devastate lives, including the lives of the children and families of people arrested. We are seeing more and more the devastation left behind when a family member is arrested for this kind of offending.
“If you think we can’t find you – you’re wrong. But help and support to stop is available. Anyone worried about their own or a loved one’s online behaviour should seek support from the Stop It Now! helpline. You can stop your behaviour before it’s too late.”
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