Thousands of people in the Liverpool City Region sought expert help to stop looking at vile images of children being sexually abused or raped last year.
Data from Stop it Now!, a confidential charity run helpline listening to the darkest secrets of people concerned about their own or a family member's thoughts or behaviour towards children, paints a worrying picture and has led for an awareness campaign alongside police forces across the North West.
In Merseyside alone, 2,954 people contacted the helpline for advice in 2021/22, while in Cheshire there were 6,658 calls and 1,500 in Lancashire. Stop It Now!, warned that "heavy porn habits" are given as a reason by male callers as a "common pathway" into viewing sexual images of children online.
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According to the latest data from Stop It Now! more than 275,000 across the UK sought advice or support via its online self-help or confidential helpline in 2022, a 67% increase on the previous year. Figures from The National Crime Agency also estimate there are between 550,000 and 850,000 people who pose a sexual abuse risk to children.
Donald Findlater, child sexual abuse prevention expert and Director of Stop It Now! UK & Ireland 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 The days of top-shelf magazines have been replaced by sophisticated methods that can show people things online they weren’t looking for or usually interested in.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.
“Lots of people who view legal adult pornography might be surprised by what we’re saying, and they might think that anyone viewing sexual images of under-18s must be a paedophile, but our experience over many years tells a different story. A story where people find themselves in dark places that they never expected to be, doing things they never expected to do.
“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."
Ian Critchley, former Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and now National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection, also added his voice to calls for anyone with dark urges to stop before it is too late.
He also called on internet providers and tech companies to do more to protect children, said: "Working closely with the National Crime Agency, policing needs to be supported by individuals acting on and reporting concerns. It is also crucial that organisations treat their duties to protect children with the utmost seriousness.
"It should also be supported by a rigorous legal duty through the Online Safety Bill, ensuring tech companies fulfil their legal, as well as their moral duty, to keep children safe online and report more offenders. It is of the utmost importance that the opportunity this presents to protect children is not impacted by the roll out of End to End Encryption by tech companies.”
Detective Superintendent Stephen Reardon, from Merseyside Police, added: "As a force we are arresting more offenders who view or share sexual images of children online and protecting more children than ever before.
"In the last year, we made more than 100 arrests, putting in place conditions to protect over 40 families, and safeguarded and protected over 100 children. Our message to offenders is clear – if you think you won’t be found, you’re wrong. You could lose your job, family and will be imprisoned and registered as a sex offender.
“Alongside enforcement, we recognise the importance of charities such as the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Anyone worried about their own or a loved one’s online behaviour should seek support from the confidential Stop it Now! Helpline on 0808 1000 900 or visit www.stopitnow.org.uk.”
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