No parent wants to entertain the idea that their child could commit a sexual offence, or become the victim of one, but the latest statistics suggest we can’t bury our heads in the sand. Data from the Youth Justice Board shows the number of children committing sexual offences is on the rise. In 2025, proven sexual offences saw an increase for the third consecutive year, rising by 6%. The proportion of children arrested for sexual offences rose to 7%, up from 5% in 2024. Meanwhile the number of youth cautions for sexual offences rose by 27% compared with the previous year. “This data paints a troubling picture about today’s youth,” says Jessica Wilson, managing director at Eventum Legal. Kids are sharing indecent or extreme images According to the Youth Justice Board’s report, in the year ending March 2025, 54% (around 800) of proven sexual offences were related to indecent or extreme pornographic images or videos, which includes creating and sharing material. Ghislaine Bombusa, content and digital director at Internet Matters, tells HuffPost UK: “Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) includes any content that shows or causes the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child. This can include sexual images that a young person creates of themselves. “Once shared, these images can quickly spread beyond their control and be difficult to remove, causing serious and long-lasting harm.” It is illegal to create, possess or share sexual images of anyone under 18, including when the person sharing these is also a child. It’s also a crime to use AI to create, possess or distribute indecent images of children. Yet some young people appear to be either unaware of the consequences, or don’t think they will be caught. Internet Matters research found that almost half (49%) of teenagers aged 13-16 have heard about abuse of another young person’s sexual image. This includes an image being shared without consent and/or threats to do so; and creation of sexual images without consent, including ‘deepfake’ nude images. There’s been growing backlash against the availability of AI-powered nudifying apps, which can be used to ‘undress’ everyday images of people and turn them into pornography. While photos of anyone, of any gender, can be uploaded to these apps and turned into deepfakes, a staggering 99% of nude deepfakes feature women and girls. “Most young people don’t know or understand that sharing explicit content of their peers is considered a sexual offence,” suggests Wilson. “This explicit content can often emerge without them understanding the risks associated with it, leading to serious consequences.” Parents urged to educate kids on online safety Wilson believes education is key to preventing this from happening: “It’s more important than ever for parents, teachers, and communities to talk openly with young people about the dangers they face online, teaching them the value of consent, privacy, and how their actions can impact others.” While talking to children about consent and online risks can seem like a bit of a minefield ( where do we even begin? ), Bombusa says these conversations “are essential for keeping them safe”. It might be helpful to cover off areas such as: Legal implications of sharing sexual images – make sure that your child knows it’s not ok for anyone to create content to harm other people, How to report it if an image is shared Peer pressure Consent Digital footprint Bombusa advises parents to use simple, direct language, and start by talking through everyday scenarios, asking what a child might do in that situation. “This helps explain why young people may feel pressured to share images – including pressure from people they trust, and what the consequences could be,” she says. It’s really important to explain that once an image is shared, they may lose control over who sees or saves it, even if it was originally sent to just one person in private. The conversation can be an ongoing one – in fact, teens will probably feel more comfortable having informal side-by-side chats every now and then, rather than a sit-down lecture on online safety. During these discussions you can also show them how to use reporting and blocking features, or how to recognise when someone may be trying to cause them harm. “For older children, these conversations can help them understand how parents can support their digital wellbeing through parental controls across apps, devices, and networks,” Bombusa adds. “This includes managing who can contact them or share content with them, as well as reducing screen time and limiting exposure to harmful content.” Overall, the goal is to help children understand online risks without fear, says the expert, “empowering them to spot danger, speak up, and seek help” and “reassuring them that they won’t be blamed if something goes wrong”. The latter part is key as it means they should (theoretically) feel comfortable to come to you if something happens that makes them uncomfortable. If an image has already been shared, speak to your child about how to report it and block the sender. You can also report it to the police; as creating, possessing, or distributing indecent images of children is a criminal offence, regardless of whether the image is real or AI-generated. Services such as CEOP or Report Remove , which helps young people under 18 confidentially report sexual images or videos of themselves online to have them removed, are also important to be aware of. You can find helpful conversation starters on the Internet Matters site. Related... We Need To Speak To Our Daughters About This Disturbing Use Of AI 'A Stranger Made Fake Nudes Of Me. I’m Scared They Will Send Them To My Parents' After My Wife's Death, My Daughter Helped Us Find A New Way To Grieve