Online child abuse recorded at about 1,000 arrests each month

The National Crime Agency says the threat of online child abuse has grown, with about 1,000 arrests and 1,200 child safeguards each month and a doubling of leads from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in three years.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) says online child abuse has increased as children spend more time on the internet, giving offenders wider access. NCA director Rob Jones reported that leads from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) have roughly doubled over three years. He said the agency and policing partners now deal with about 1,000 arrests and 1,200 child safeguards each month, requiring continuous efforts. National police lead Becky Riggs emphasized the roles of policing, education and the tech sector in response. Key facts: - The NCA reports roughly 1,000 arrests and 1,200 child safeguards are handled each month. - Leads and material received from NCMEC have about doubled over the past three years, according to officials. - In one week in January, forces made 252 arrests, 118 people were charged, 35 people sentenced and 407 children were safeguarded; officials say similar levels are now occurring weekly. - Authorities report many safeguarding actions were triggered by activity on mainstream social media, and officials have urged tech companies to improve platform safety while policing and education continue. Summary: Officials describe a sustained rise in online child abuse reports and enforcement activity, with higher volumes of material and leads coming to UK agencies. The current status is ongoing nationwide policing and safeguarding at increased levels, and officials have publicly called for action from the technology sector and continued education and policing efforts as part of the response.