UK children charity Barnardo's report finds one in ten girls threatened with nude photos

Barnardo's surveyed 4,000 young people in the UK and found that one in ten girls have been threatened with the sharing of nude images. One in seven 13‑ to 15‑year‑olds reported being asked to send a nude photo, while a quarter of girls said they had received degrading names online and 18% reported persistent unwanted images.

The charity said the findings show a broader culture of online misogyny that also pressures boys. Over half of boys said they are expected to “act tough” and 21% said friends would not back them if they challenged sexist comments. More than half of boys believed a girl who posts photos should expect comments about her appearance.

Barnardo's is urging the UK government to strengthen Ofcom’s violence‑against‑women‑and‑girls guidance into a mandatory code for tech platforms and to enforce age‑limit rules for social‑media use. The charity argues that clearer rules are needed to curb the “everyday part of childhood” misogyny it documents.