Police forces recorded 6,238 underage sexting offences in 2016/17 – a rate of 17 a day. This was more than double the number recorded in 2014/15, when 2,700 underage sexting offences were recorded.
Chief constable Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection, expressed concern about the number of under-18s sharing or possessing sexual images of themselves or others and said the issue is “a significant challenge” for schools and the police.
He explained: “Parents, carers and schools have a crucial role to play in talking to children about what a healthy relationship looks like, their boundaries, consent and the ramifications of sharing sexual imagery.
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