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Study to examine four-fold rise in self-generated child abuse images

1 min read Health Youth Work
A study has been launched to examine a “disturbing” increase in sexual abuse images self-generated by children aged between 11 and 13 over the last three years.
The research will focus on how to prevent the creation and distribution of self-generated CSAM. Picture: Brian/Adobe Stock
The research will focus on how to prevent the creation and distribution of self-generated CSAM. Picture: Brian/Adobe Stock

Nominet, the official registry for UK domain names, has joined forces with online safety organisation Internet Matters to fund the new research into self-generated child abuse material (CSAM) and how best to prevent it.

The term self-generated CSAM describes sexual content – images and videos – generated and shared by children themselves.

Statistics from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) show an increase of more than 400 per cent of such imagery in the UK – from 38,500 cases in 2019 to 182,000 cases in 2021, and 199,000 in 2022.

Last year, 78 per cent of all abuse content accessed by the IWF was reported to be CSAM, with 127,732 incidents linked to 11-to 13-year-old girls.

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