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Police forces across England and Wales are seeking help from specialist charities and safeguarding organisations as increasing numbers of teenagers become involved in online child sexual abuse cases. Officers warn that exposure to extreme pornography, illegal images and harmful online communities can place young people at risk, prompting a shift towards early intervention and support rather than criminal prosecution in appropriate cases.
The concerns have emerged as new pornography offences come into force on Friday, 6 November 2026, targeting material depicting strangulation, suffocation, certain forms of incest and adults portraying sexual activity involving children under 16. Police and legal experts say stronger action against online distributors and major platforms will be essential to protect children from harmful material.
Specialist officers working in West Mercia say they are encountering increasing numbers of young people connected to online child abuse investigations. Some cases involve teenagers exchanging sexual images, while others concern exposure to illegal material through online forums, chat platforms and websites.
Detective Constable Sarah Turner, who works with a specialist child abuse investigation team in West Mercia, warned that extreme pornography could contribute to a dangerous progression in viewing habits.
She said the popularity of searches involving teenagers created particular concerns, with repeated exposure to explicit material potentially blurring young people's understanding of acceptable behaviour.
Detective Chief Inspector Gerard Smith, who leads the West Mercia team, said the authorities needed to concentrate on distributors and platforms responsible for making harmful material available.
He told the Guardian that preventing the distribution of such content at source should be a central part of the response.
Smith also reported a significant increase in arrests involving people suspected of viewing or sharing child sexual abuse material.
Police are increasingly recognising that criminal investigations alone cannot address every situation involving children exposed to illegal online content.
West Mercia officers are considering a pilot scheme under which civilian safeguarding workers would visit young people suspected of viewing illegal material. The intention would be to provide guidance, assess potential risks and offer appropriate support.
Smith said several police forces were examining the approach following a project in Surrey known as Solah.
He explained that children should not automatically be treated as offenders when they require safeguarding advice and intervention. Where there are no aggravating circumstances, such as coercion or exploitation of others, specialist support agencies may be better placed to help.
The distinction is particularly important in cases involving teenage sexting, where young people may be sharing images without fully understanding the legal and personal consequences.
Police say a proportionate response is necessary to identify children who may themselves be vulnerable to exploitation or grooming.
The new offences introduced under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 came into force in England and Wales on 6 November.
Under the legislation, possessing or publishing certain pornographic images depicting strangulation or suffocation, specified sexual activity between people portrayed as relatives, and adults role-playing sexual activity involving someone presented as under 16 can constitute criminal offences.
The rules cover realistic material depicting people who appear to be real. Publication offences carry a maximum prison sentence of five years, while maximum sentences for possession vary according to the type of material involved.
The Ministry of Justice has advised people to remove prohibited material before the legislation takes effect. Possession can include retaining images on phones, computers or cloud storage, while publication can include uploading, posting or sharing them.
The government says the measures are intended to address harmful content and reduce the risk of normalising behaviour associated with real-world abuse.
Professor Clare McGlynn, an expert in the legal regulation of pornography at Durham University, has raised concerns about misinformation surrounding the new legislation.
She said the changes should be understood as part of a wider effort to regulate pornography platforms and remove particularly harmful material, rather than simply policing what individuals keep on their phones.
McGlynn also questioned how effectively online platforms would be monitored and called for stronger regulatory action.
Ofcom, the communications regulator, said new legal duties on technology companies would take effect after updated codes of practice and guidance had been prepared.
The regulator said it was preparing to consult on the necessary changes during the first half of 2027. It also reported that, during the first 18 months of the Online Safety Act, it had investigated more than 100 platforms and issued fines totalling more than £7 million against 11 providers.
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which operates the Stop It Now helpline, welcomed the new restrictions.
Vicky Young of the charity said people contacting its helpline had described extreme pornography as one factor in their progression towards viewing illegal sexual images of children.
The organisation has long campaigned for action to address harmful online material and improve opportunities for people concerned about their own behaviour to seek help.
Police, charities and legal specialists say protecting children requires a combination of effective platform regulation, early intervention, public awareness and appropriate safeguarding support.
For West Mercia officers, working with specialist organisations could help identify vulnerable teenagers before their online experiences develop into more serious safeguarding concerns.
