NSPCC calls for law change to ban adults sending sexual messages to children

The NSPCC are calling for it to be made a criminal offence for an adult to intentionally send a sexual message to a child aged under 16.

The ‘Flaw in the Law’ campaign launches as new ChildLine figures show a 168% increase in the number of children counselled by ChildLine about online sexual abuse – averaging 7 counselling sessions a day to the free, 24-hour helpline.

A YouGov poll for the charity found that 3 out of 4 adults believe it is already illegal for someone over 18 to send a sexual message to a child under 16 – when in fact no such specific offence exists.

8 out of 10 people polled by YouGov said they would support a change in the law and we’re now urging the public to back its campaign by signing an online petition.

NSPCC head of child safety online Claire Lilley said: “No adult should be deliberately sending sexual messages to children, but incredibly it is not always illegal. Existing laws are a hotch-potch and sex offenders can and do exploit the loopholes.

“The rise of online communication means that children are increasingly being exposed to sexual messages from adults, on social networks or through messaging apps, but in many cases the police are powerless to act.”

“Currently, old laws are being stretched to fit new sex offender behaviour. The Serious Crime Bill now being debated in Parliament is a unique opportunity to tailor the law to better protect children from sexual abuse. And we need the public to get behind our Flaw in the Law campaign.”

Follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter: #FlawedLaw