Month: March 2024

Child sexual abuse image crimes at record high in Scotland last year

  • Child sexual abuse image offences recorded by Police Scotland increased by 15 per cent between April 2022 and March 2023
  • NSPCC wants robust implementation of the Online Safety Act with Ofcom encouraged to strengthen its approach to tackling child sexual abuse
  • Meta urged to pause rollout of end-to-end encryption until plans for Facebook and Instagram can be risk assessed under new online safety regulations

The number of child sexual abuse image offences recorded by Police Scotland were at a record high last year – up by 15 per cent from the previous year, data analysed by the NSPCC has revealed.

A total of 765 offences where child abuse images were collected and distributed, were logged in 2022/23 according to Police Scotland data 1.  

Since 2017/18, when the NSPCC first called for social media regulation, a total of 3,877 crimes have been recorded while children and families have waited for online safety laws.

The charity said the figures show the need for swift and ambitious action by tech companies to address what is currently happening on their platforms and for Ofcom to significantly strengthen its approach to tackling child sexual abuse through effective enforcement of the Online Safety Act.

The figures come as insight from Childline shows young people being targeted by adults to share child sexual abuse images via social media and the calculated use of end-to-end encrypted private messaging apps by adults to find and share child abuse images.

A 14-year-old girl told the NSPCC-run service: “One night I got chatting with this guy online who I’d never met and he made me feel so good about myself. He told me he was 15, even though deep down I didn’t believe him.

“I sent him a couple of semi-nudes on Snap(chat), but then instantly regretted it. I asked him to delete the pics, but he just kept on making me do stuff for him not to post them – like getting me to strip live on camera. I just want to block him, but if I block him he will just post the pictures.”

A 15-year-old boy told Childline: “A while ago I saw a video on YouTube about how a guy was busting paedophiles and creeps on the internet by pretending to be a kid, and I kind of wanted to do a similar thing.

“I looked around Instagram for the creepiest accounts about kids my age and younger. In the end, I came across this link on one of their stories. It’s a link to a WhatsApp group chat in which [child sexual abuse material] is sent daily! There are literally hundreds of members in this group chat and they’re always calling the kids ‘hot’ and just being disgusting.”

  1. Police Scotland recorded crime data on the Scottish Government website.
Police Force2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/222022/23Total
Scotland6585545846606627653877

Online Safety Act implementation

The NSPCC said that disrupting online child sexual abuse taking place at increasing levels will require regulated tech platforms to introduce systemic changes to their products to stop them being used to organise, commit, and share child abuse.

A consultation into Ofcom’s first codes for companies to adopt to disrupt child sexual abuse on their platforms closed last week.

The NSPCC want these measures introduced without delay but urged Ofcom to begin work on a second version of the codes that will require companies to go much further.

The charity said companies should be required to use technology that can help identify and tackle grooming, sextortion and new child abuse images.

They also want tougher measures for private messaging services to make child protection a priority, including in end-to-end encrypted environments.

The NSPCC warned that Meta’s roll-out of end-to-end encryption on Facebook and Instagram will prevent authorities from identifying offenders and safeguarding victims.

The charity wants plans paused until Meta can prove child safety will not be compromised and have urged parties to find a balance between the safety and privacy of all users, including children. The NSPCC said further rollout should be delayed until Ofcom can study Meta’s risk assessment as part of the new regulatory regime.

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “It’s alarming to see online child abuse continue to rise, especially when tech companies should be acting to make their sites safe by design ahead of incoming regulation.

“Behind these crimes are children who have been targeted by adults who are able to organise and share sexual abuse with other offenders seamlessly across social media and messaging apps.

“The Online Safety Act sets out robust measures to make children fundamentally safer on the sites and apps they use so they can enjoy the benefits of a healthy online experience.

“Ofcom has been quick off the blocks but must act with greater ambition to ensure companies prioritise child safety in the comprehensive way that is so desperately needed.”

Susie Hargreaves OBE, Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, the UK’s front line against child sexual abuse imagery online, said: “This is a truly disturbing picture, and a reflection of the growing scale of the availability, and demand, for images and videos of children suffering sexual abuse.

“The people viewing and sharing and distributing this material need to know it is not a victimless crime. They are real children, suffering real abuse and sexual torture, the effects of which can linger a lifetime.

“That more and more people are trying to share and spread this material shows we should all be doing everything we can to stop this, building more, and innovative solutions to keep children safe.

“The IWF is ready to support technology companies and Ofcom in implementing the Online Safety Act to help make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.”

Holyrood agrees general principles of National Care Service Bill

Bill ‘not fit for purpose’ say unions

Legislation which will see the introduction of a National Care Service for Scotland (NCS) has passed Stage 1 in Parliament.

MSPs have voted for the general principles of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill which will ensure greater transparency in the delivery of community health and social care, improve standards, strengthen the role of the workforce and provide better support for unpaid carers.

The proposals include establishing a National Care Service Charter, rights to breaks for carers and provisions to enact Anne’s Law so people in care homes have the right to be visited by their families.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “We need long-term, widespread transformation to fix some of the ingrained issues within the system and ensure sustainability for the future. 

“We have spent considerable time working with people with lived experience on how to reform social care for the better. I’m grateful to the thousands of people who have lent their voices and I am determined to ensure the Bill delivers the positive change needed.

“Today’s vote shows that the Scottish Parliament also recognises this and I am grateful to them for bringing us one step closer to this urgent reform.

“This Bill is the biggest public sector reform since devolution and it is our chance to make meaningful change that we all agree is needed to the social care system. I know the people of Scotland will see huge benefits.”

Scotland’s largest trade union bodies have condemned the Scottish Government’s proposed National Care Service Bill as ‘not fit for purpose’ as MSPs approve the legislation at Stage 1.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) alongside the three biggest social care unions in Scotland – UNISON, GMB SCOTLAND and UNITE – have written to the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Neil Gray outlining their shared concerns on the Bill.

The letter states that social care workers’ concerns have been ‘widely ignored’ by the Scottish Government and that, at this stage of proceedings, the Bill as drafted remains ‘firmly unacceptable’.

Last week the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s report into Stage 1 drew criticism from trade unions who outlined the ‘glaring deficiencies’ of the proposals on costs and operation of the service.

Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “It beggars belief that, despite repeated warnings to the Scottish Government, Scotland’s social care workers are still in the dark on the basic fundamentals of the new National Care Service.

“Our social care sector already suffers from insecure conditions and low pay. We cannot risk those weaknesses being carried over into any new system of nationalised care.

“We must see the Scottish Government take seriously the recommendations of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s report into the Bill. This would include improving pay, terms and conditions for social care staff, including a £15 per hour minimum wage. We also need to see Scottish Government guarantees on Fair Work and sectoral bargaining in addition to full sick pay from day one of employment.

“Our social care staff are the lifeblood of our system. We value their work and it’s high time the Scottish Government does likewise.”

COSLA: “SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS” ON NATIONAL CARE SERVICE PLANS

Speaking ahead of the Stage 1 debate for the National Care Service Bill in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 29th February, Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA’s Health & Social Care Spokesperson, commented: “Councils have expressed significant concerns regarding current National Care Service plans and believe there is still work to do to ensure proposals can meet aspirations.

“In particular, Council Leaders are disappointed in the decision of the Scottish Government to continue to push through legislation where a power will be given to Ministers to delegate children and justice services, despite the potential disruption to services and extensive negotiations and concessions from Local Government.

“Council Leaders remain concerned that such a move risks excessive centralisation of decision-making away from local people and areas. Leaders did agree that COSLA should continue to work closely with Scottish Government to address these concerns.

“COSLA welcomes the progress which has been made in reforming some National Care Service proposals, including that local authorities will continue to play a central role in the delivery of, and accountability for care.

“There is a pressing need to improve people’s experiences of accessing and delivering care in Scotland. Although legislative and governance reform may be part of that, the reality is that national funding decisions – including the proposed council tax freeze which has not been fully funded – will further squeeze local care and social work services which are already under incredible pressure.

“Investment in social care must be seen as a priority which can enhance the wellbeing of people, of society and of Scotland.”

Having passed Stage One, the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill moves into Stage 2 where amendments will be considered by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee before Stage 3, when the full Parliament makes a final vote on whether to pass the Bill.

“THIS IS FOR GAZA”

Maverick humiliates mainstream parties

STUNNING VICTORY FOR GEORGE GALLOWAY IN ROCHDALE BY-ELECTION

The veteran campaigner for Palestine targeted Labour – and Keir Starmer in particular – in his victory speech. “Keir Starmer – this is for Gaza,” he declared.

ON a dreadful night for the mainstream political parties, independent candidate DAVID TULLY, a local businessman who campaigned on local issues, came second,

Here’s how Rochdale voted:

  • GEORGE GALLOWAY (Workers Party of Britain) – 12,335
  • David Anthony Tully (Independent) – 6,638
  • Paul Ellison (Conservative) – 3,731
  • Azhar Ali (on the ballot as a Labour candidate) – 2,402
  • Iain Donaldson (Liberal Democrats) – 2,164
  • Simon Danczuk (Reform UK) – 1,968
  • William Howarth (Independent) – 523
  • Mark Coleman (Independent) – 455
  • Guy Otten (on the ballot as a Green candidate) – 436
  • Michael Howarth (Independent) – 246
  • Ravin Rodent Subortna (Monster Raving Loony Party) – 209

Turnout was 39.7%