Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 | Last Update : 04:34 AM IST
Cases of child-to-child sexual abuse sees alarming rise in UK
A rising number in smartphone and tablet viewership may be pushing youngsters to act out what they see on screen upon their peers.
An astonishing study now reveals that children have sexually assaulted almost 30,000 other youngsters in the last four years.
The study further said that the attacks rose by 71 percent since 2013, which includes 225 rapes.
The survey was conducted in the UK.
Data released under the Freedom of Information Act shows number of ‘peer-on-peer’ offences show a staggering rise. Among those under the age of 10, the figure was doubled in many areas.
The study fears that arising number of youngsters are watching hardcore porn on their smartphones and other gadgets may be seeking to act out what they have seen on them upon their friends and classmates.
Parents are often unaware because, even if porn-blocking software is installed at home, many pupils can view it on friends’ devices.
The data, obtained by BBC’s Panorama came from 38 of the 43 police forces across England and Wales.
While government guidance tells teachers that they have a legal duty to report allegations of sexual assaults on children by adults, according to Panorama, there is no such duty when a child is accused, with schools told to follow their own child protection procedures.
