Police figures have shown that children are being arrested in record numbers for sexual offences.
In 2024-25 the number of children arrested for sexual offences rose from 3,225 the previous year, to 3,809.
Nearly all children arrested for sexual offences were boys, 98 per cent in the last 10 years.
Research by the government-backed Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) suggests that around four per cent of teenagers have experienced some form of abuse, have been pressured into sex, or have had explicit images shared online.
YEF said its research suggested a link between sexually violent social media content and real-world behaviour.
Jess Southgate, lead for violence against women and girls at the YEF, told The Telegraph, “The rise in arrests for sexual offences by children is deeply concerning. Whether it reflects more offending, more victims coming forward, or both, what’s clear is that more work is needed to prevent these harms from happening.
“Both girls and boys need the skills and confidence to build healthy and respectful relationships, as well as the right support and responses when they experience or cause harm.”
Labour has attempted to limit the social media use of teens, with a voluntary curfew being introduced earlier this week ahead of a proposed ban next year.
Critics of Labour’s plans say that teenagers will be able to work around them and that they may actually be intended to more closely monitor the social media use of adults, who may have to provide ID in order to use online platforms.
Supporters suggest it will protect children from harmful content, including material that encourages suicide. The Online Safety Act has already been praised by some for significantly reducing the amount of pornography viewed by children, although concerns remain about its impact on free expression online.
