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15/06/2015
Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre Launch 'Sexting' Campaign
A new campaign to help parents deal with "sexting" has been launched by the National Crime Agency's Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (CEOP).
The campaign hopes to address issues arising from young people sending self-taken nude or nearly nude images and videos using their mobile phones, commonly known as 'sexting'.
Zoe Hilton, head of safeguarding at the NCA's CEOP Command, said: "We're getting reports of difficult and sometimes harmful situations which have come about because of sexting.
"It can start off as a bit of fun but the issues start when that image gets into the wrong hands.
"With smartphones and tablets, and new apps emerging all the time, this behaviour is becoming quite normal for teenagers. But it can be alarming for mum and dad who might not know how to help when things go wrong.
"We've being doing a lot of work to educate young people about some of the consequences of sharing revealing images and videos. Through this campaign, we want to help parents and carers talk to their children about how to minimise the risks, and to make sure the right support is there if things do go wrong."
The campaign features a series of informative short animations, which have been developed following a two-year research project with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Linkoping in Sweden and the German charity Innocence in Danger.
The films are available for parents to view at www.thinkuknow.co.uk, the NCA's CEOP Command's education programme designed to help protect children and young people from sexual abuse and exploitation. Additionally, a free guidance pack is available from Thinkuknow to enable teachers and other practitioners working with families to deliver the films' key messages to the parents that they work with.
Anybody who is worried that a child is being sexually abused can make a report to the NCA via the Safety Centre or by using the Click CEOP button. If you have concerns that a child is in immediate danger please dial 999.
(MH)
The campaign hopes to address issues arising from young people sending self-taken nude or nearly nude images and videos using their mobile phones, commonly known as 'sexting'.
Zoe Hilton, head of safeguarding at the NCA's CEOP Command, said: "We're getting reports of difficult and sometimes harmful situations which have come about because of sexting.
"It can start off as a bit of fun but the issues start when that image gets into the wrong hands.
"With smartphones and tablets, and new apps emerging all the time, this behaviour is becoming quite normal for teenagers. But it can be alarming for mum and dad who might not know how to help when things go wrong.
"We've being doing a lot of work to educate young people about some of the consequences of sharing revealing images and videos. Through this campaign, we want to help parents and carers talk to their children about how to minimise the risks, and to make sure the right support is there if things do go wrong."
The campaign features a series of informative short animations, which have been developed following a two-year research project with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Linkoping in Sweden and the German charity Innocence in Danger.
The films are available for parents to view at www.thinkuknow.co.uk, the NCA's CEOP Command's education programme designed to help protect children and young people from sexual abuse and exploitation. Additionally, a free guidance pack is available from Thinkuknow to enable teachers and other practitioners working with families to deliver the films' key messages to the parents that they work with.
Anybody who is worried that a child is being sexually abused can make a report to the NCA via the Safety Centre or by using the Click CEOP button. If you have concerns that a child is in immediate danger please dial 999.
(MH)
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