A parent from the Midlands has spoken out, deeply shaken after discovering their daughter was groomed online. The child, who had sent photos to someone she met over the internet, was left feeling it was her fault and repeatedly apologised to her parents.
In a heartfelt statement shared with NSPCC’s Childline, the parent expressed their shock and regret: “I’m really shaken about everything going on. I can’t believe I didn’t realise my daughter was being groomed online. She hasn’t stopped apologising for sending the pictures—I can’t tell her enough times it wasn’t her fault.”
This revelation comes as reported cases of online sexual communication crimes involving children have surged dramatically across the West Midlands. Since the introduction of the offence of sexual communication with a child in 2017/18, the number of recorded crimes has more than doubled. Police data from Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, and West Mercia reveal 391 incidents last year, up from 194 in 2017/18.
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In response, the NSPCC is calling on technology giants to take urgent and decisive action to better identify and prevent online grooming. The charity has also published new research outlining practical measures to detect, disrupt, and prevent grooming activities, especially within private messaging platforms.
Online sexual abuse can have profound and lasting effects on children. Victims often suffer from guilt, shame, depression, confusion, anxiety, and fear.
Another Childline caller, a 14-year-old, shared their experience of grooming: “I feel so insecure all the time. When this older guy I met online started flirting with me, it made me feel special. He seemed to care, but now he’s insisting I send him nudes. I’m not sure if he ever really cared or if he just wanted pictures. I feel tricked, but I’m scared of what he might do if I block him. The anxiety is overwhelming.”
The NSPCC is urging Ofcom and technology companies to act swiftly on recommendations from their latest report, promoting better identification and prevention tools to combat online grooming.
If you have been affected by online grooming, please reach out for support.