UK sees record rise in child sexual abuse arrests and online exploitation

A government‑backed report shows that 3,809 children were arrested for sexual offences in the UK in 2024‑25, a near‑19% increase on the previous year and the highest figure on record. The Youth Endowment Fund said the number has climbed from the pandemic low of 1,979 in 2020‑21 and surpassed the previous peak of 3,633 in 2015‑16.

Separate research by the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse estimates that 20% of girls and 10% of boys in England and Wales are sexually abused before age 18, with more than 40% of offences now involving an online element. The study warns that rapid changes in social‑media use make the true scale of abuse hard to measure and that many cases remain hidden, as indicated by a decade‑low in child‑needs assessments naming sexual abuse. Both reports call for improved professional training, a dedicated national survey, and stronger online‑safety measures.

The rise in child sexual abuse is adding pressure on the UK government, which has introduced tougher online‑safety rules, such as requiring tech companies to block explicit content on children’s devices and banning social‑media use for under‑16s.