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Last Updated: 5 hours ago
Around 1,000 suspected child sexual abuse offenders are now being arrested every month across the UK, with more than 1,200 children safeguarded from harm during the same period, police have revealed.
Assistant Chief Constable Becky Riggs, the national police lead for child protection and abuse investigation, highlighted the enormous scale of the challenge facing law enforcement as she urged those concerned about their own behaviour or that of others to seek help before it is too late.
Her comments came alongside new figures from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF), which operates the Stop It Now helpline aimed at preventing people from viewing child abuse images online. The charity said 330,610 people used its services in 2025, a rise of roughly 20% on the 275,648 recorded in 2024.
The LFF runs a confidential helpline for individuals worried about their own online sexual behaviour towards children, as well as for those with concerns about someone close to them. Of the 3,427 people who contacted the service last year, 21% were aged under 25, more than a third were married or in a relationship, and one in four said they had children of their own.
Ms Riggs said: “Across the UK, policing is now arresting around 1,000 potential child sexual abuse offenders every month, and safeguarding more than 1,200 children, reflecting the sheer scale of the threat we are confronting.
“But enforcement alone cannot keep pace with the speed at which people can be drawn into harmful online behaviour. We need a whole system response, and that includes ensuring people have safe, confidential places to seek help before they cross a line.
“Services like Stop It Now play an essential preventative role by helping individuals understand their behaviour early, interrupt escalation, and ultimately reduce the number of children who experience abuse.
“We urge anyone who is worried about their behaviour, or that of someone close to them, to reach out for help now. Early intervention protects children – and it prevents lives from being irrevocably damaged.”
Dr Alexandra Bailey, head of psychology at the LFF, said: “We hear every day from people who are frightened by the direction their online behaviour is taking but feel unsure whether they are ‘the kind of person’ who needs help.
“That hesitation can mean problems escalate when early, confidential support could have made a real difference.
“In order to prevent online child sexual abuse, people must understand that behaviour can escalate to the point of causing harm, but also that change is possible.
“Reaching out early isn’t about excusing harmful behaviour – it’s about stopping abuse before a child is harmed.”
