Online messaging app Snapchat was used in more than half of all cases recorded by police with six children being targeted every hour in the digital world by offenders often under the age of 18
Online child sexual abuse rocketed by a quarter last year with messaging app Snapchat being used in more than half of cases, new research reveals.
Six children are now being targeted every hour on average in the digital world, an increase of 26% in 12 months. The rising popularity of Snapchat amongst children and the fact messages disappear features often in complaints to police, the data shows.
Two major reports published on Wednesday by the National Police Chiefs’ Council reveal the shocking level of child sexual abuse and warns much of it is “largely unseen by the public”. There was a 6% increase in Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation crimes in 12 months, up to 122,768 in 2024, alongside a surge in online exploitation, which now accounts for 42% of all such crimes (51,672).
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Half of the alleged offenders were aged under 18 and a total of 78% of victims were female while 82% of suspects were male. The most common social media platforms recorded by police are now Snapchat (54%) followed by WhatsApp (8%) and Instagram (8%), the data reveals. A Snapchat spokesperson said: “Child sexual exploitation is an abhorrent crime, and we are committed to combating it.”
Acting Chief Constable Becky Riggs, NPCC Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, said: “This year’s reports make one trend unmistakably clear: the rapid growth of online abuse. As more offending moves into digital spaces, we must do far more—across policing, government, industry, and civil society—to prevent harm before it reaches a child.
“Both reports published today highlight the full spectrum of threats—many of which remain largely unseen by the public. They challenge us to ask: are we addressing all areas of risk, not just those that attract political and media attention? And what must we do differently to ensure every child is protected, particularly as offenders exploit online platforms and emerging technologies at unprecedented speed?”
Last month NHS manager Paul Lipscombe, 51, was jailed for 28 years for sexually abusing and raping young girls after grooming them on Snapchat. Lipscombe was sentenced after he admitted to sexual grooming, sexual assault and two counts of rape of a child under 13, in a case described as “shocking and terrifying” by detectives.
A 15-year-old girl, who was one of six children groomed by Lipscombe in Leicestershire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire, said she wants facial recognition brought in so predatory adults can’t get access to young people on the app. In September Stuart Latham, 22, was jailed for 14 years at Preston Crown Court following a campaign of online grooming and blackmail using Snapchat to target victims.
Latham, from Greater Manchester, also raped one 12-year-old girl and sexually abused her friend after convincing them to meet him in person. Detectives described it as ‘one of the most horrific cases’ they had ever dealt with.
Sentencing him, Judge Philip Parry said: “You are a highly dangerous individual, a predatory sexual offender with little to no empathy or remorse.” The defendant had amassed around 4,000 indecent images.
Anna Edmundson, Head of Policy at the NSPCC, said: “This new analysis brings into focus the worrying scale of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and the growing threat children are facing online. We must remember that behind each offence is a child, who deserves safety, support, and the chance to rebuild their life after abuse. It is vital that we continue to build a detailed picture of when and where these crimes are occurring, who is affected, and how policing and government can respond effectively.
“Alongside improving the data we already collect, we also need to deepen our understanding of how children and young people experience this form of harm. That’s why we want to see Government commission a national prevalence study covering all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation to go beyond police recorded crimes.”
A Snapchat spokesperson said: “We work with police to help bring criminals who attempt to exploit our platform and harm our community to justice. We have implemented additional protections for teens, including in-app pop-up warnings, and we encourage Snapchat users to utilise our easy reporting tools to report any safety concerns.
“Although no single safety feature or policy can eliminate every potential threat online or in the real world, we continuously adapt our strategies as criminals change their tactics. We also invest in technology to enhance proactive detection and work diligently to quickly identify and remove content that violates our Community Guidelines.”
