Safer Internet Day 2021

MP MARKS SAFER INTERNET DAY 2021 WITH UPDATED WEBSITE TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE

To mark Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 9th February 2021, Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, has updated her Dare2Care website. The site provides tools to help keep children safe from abuse. It provides support on how to talk to children about healthy relationships and online safety, and information on how to spot the signs of, and how to report, relationship violence and online abuse.

The online world is leaving children exposed to abuse and grooming. Research by the Children’s Commissioner found that 1 in 10 children using a private messaging service are talking to strangers and 1 in 6 girls have received a message from a stranger that made them feel uncomfortable. In 2020, the Internet Watch Foundation found that 44% of indecent images of under 18s they find on the internet are ‘self-generated’, meaning the victim uploaded or sent the image themselves, usually because of grooming. This is an increase from 29% in 2019.

Sarah Champion MP said: “I am determined that we must end all forms of child abuse and exploitation. The dramatic rise of indecent images of children found online is horrifying as every one represents an abused child. Abusers constantly look for opportunities to exploit children and the online world is providing the perfect avenue for their abhorrent crimes.

The law desperately needs updating on online harms, and I urge the Government to bring forward the Online Harms Bill as soon as possible. I also encourage parents, children, and professionals to arm themselves with the knowledge to prevent abuse. I want everyone to know www.Dare2Care.org.uk is here to help in the fight against child abuse.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

·       Dare2Care (https://www.dare2care.org.uk/) was established to facilitate debate about how we can challenge child abuse, provide information, raise awareness and change policy.

·       The report from the Children’s Commissioner is available here: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/access-denied-how-end-to-end-encryption-threatens-childrens-safety-online/

·       The report from the Internet Watch Foundation is available here: https://www.iwf.org.uk/news/‘disturbing’-rise-videos-of-children-who-have-been-groomed-into-filming-their-own-abuse

Contact information: Email bruce.warwick@parliament.uk or call 07948 979 713.