LS Legal News Bulletin
Child Protection Needs Urgent Action: Online Grooming Crimes Surge
Wednesday 15th January 2025
Stella Marat
The rise of online grooming crimes is deeply concerning, with offences increasing by 89% in just six years, reaching a record of 7,062 cases in 2023/24. Platforms like Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Facebook are commonly exploited by perpetrators to target vulnerable children. Shockingly, 81% of the victims were girls, with the youngest being just 5 years old.
Our Family Law Expert, Stella Marat, emphasises: "The rapid growth of online grooming calls for immediate reforms. It's crucial that social media platforms not only act after harm occurs but take proactive steps to prevent abuse. The law must be strengthened to ensure these platforms are safer for children. We must demand more from both government and tech companies to tackle this growing issue and protect the most vulnerable in our society.”
