The Youth Justice Board reported that the number of youth cautions for sexual offences rose by 27% compared with the previous year. In the year ending March 2025, 54% (around 800) of proven sexual offences were related to indecent or extreme pornographic images or videos. This highlights the growing role of digital content in youth offending.
Jessica Wilson, Managing Director at Eventum Legal, said the data paints a troubling picture about today's youth. She added that most young people do not understand that sharing explicit content of peers is a sexual offence. Wilson said this explicit content can often emerge without them understanding the risks associated with it, leading to serious consequences.
This data paints a troubling picture about today’s youth.
According to HuffPost UK, Ghislaine Bombusa, Content and Digital Director at Internet Matters, described child sexual abuse material as including any content that shows or causes the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child, including sexual images a young person creates of themselves. Once shared, these images can quickly spread beyond control and be difficult to remove, causing serious and long-lasting harm.
Almost half (49%) of teenagers aged 13-16 have heard about abuse of another young person's sexual image, according to Internet Matters. Additionally, 99% of nude deepfakes feature women and girls, underscoring the gendered nature of this issue.
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) includes any content that shows or causes the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child. This can include sexual images that a young person creates of themselves. Once shared, these images can quickly spread beyond their control and be difficult to remove, causing serious and long-lasting harm.
Wilson urged parents, teachers, and communities to talk openly with young people about online dangers and teach them the value of consent. The specific measures being taken to address the rise in child sexual offences remain unclear, as does the effectiveness of current educational programs. The breakdown of offences by age and gender of the children involved has not been disclosed, nor has the role of AI-powered nudifying apps in the increase. Long-term outcomes for children who commit these offences are also unknown.
Most young people don’t know or understand that sharing explicit content of their peers is considered a sexual offence.
This explicit content can often emerge without them understanding the risks associated with it, leading to serious consequences.
It’s more important than ever for parents, teachers, and communities to talk openly with young people about the dangers they face online, teaching them the value of cons