More than 10 crimes of indecent images of children recorded in West Midlands every day - report reveals
Figures released by the Home Office show that 3,801 child abuse image crimes were logged by police forces across the West Midlands in the past year - with private messaging platforms being exploited to share to share indecent material.
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Home Office data revealed that police forces in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands recorded an average of 10 indecent image crimes a day last year (2023/24).
A separate Freedom of Information request submitted by the NSPCC to forces across the UK showed that half of the offences recorded last year took place on Snapchat. A quarter took place on Meta products – 11% on Instagram, 7% on Facebook and 6% on WhatsApp.
The NSPCC, alongside Bernado's and the Marie Collins Foundation, have written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Peter Kyle to demand an increase in protection for children on online messaging platforms.
The letter highlights concerns from charities about Ofcom's new rules, saying they don't fully protect children from abuse on private messaging services. Ofcom's rule that illegal content only needs to be removed if it’s "technically feasible" is seen as a loophole that lets some services avoid basic child protections.
