Experts have warned about the risks of children misusing smartphones, suggesting that more children might commit sexual offenses against other children due to what they see on these devices. A report cited by several British media outlets noted that half of the reported sexual offenses against children recorded by the British police in 2022 were also committed by children.
In this context, Ian Critchley, the head of Child Protection Police in Britain, stated that the most common crimes are those committed by boys against girls, warning, "I believe this is exacerbated by access to pornography." Critchley added, "Access to smartphones has significantly increased, even among children under the age of ten. This has already exacerbated the situation, and the three most common crimes committed by children are sexual assault against a female, rape of a female under the age of 16, and the capturing, making, or sharing of inappropriate images."
Data collected from police centers across England and Wales revealed that over 106,000 crimes of sexual assault and exploitation against children were recorded in 2022. Moreover, internet abuse is increasing year by year, with experts noting that "sexual extortion" is emerging as a concerning trend, where children are blackmailed through threats of sending dangerous images to their families or posting them on social media.
