Met Police Cracks Down on ‘Sexting’ Crisis Among Kids
The Metropolitan Police have launched a hard-hitting campaign to educate young people on the dangers of ‘sexting’ — the creation and sharing of explicit images among minors. The rise in peer-to-peer sharing of sexual content is causing chaos, with many unaware they’re breaking the law.
Staggering Rise in Sexting Among Under-18s
Reports of youth-produced sexual imagery, commonly called sexting, are soaring. Police data shows 353 suspects aged 6-13 were flagged between 2017 and August 2019. The numbers jumped from 92 cases in 2017 to 151 in 2018, and 110 offences were recorded in just the first half of 2019.
Experts warn the true scale is much higher due to under-reporting. Online indecent image crimes overall have surged by 130% since 2016, now hitting around 2,200 cases a year in London alone.
A Teen’s Nightmare: When Trust Is Betrayed
Valentine’s Day saw 18-year-old Eleanor* and her mum Maggie* team up with the Met to warn others about sexting’s devastating fallout. Eleanor, just 14 at the time, sent naked selfies to her boyfriend over Snapchat, trusting he wouldn’t save them. But he secretly used a special app to download and share the images months after their split.
After moving schools to escape bullying, Eleanor’s private photos spread like wildfire, accompanied by vile abuse and blackmail threats from paedophiles. Police got involved, and though her ex and two others were released with no charges, the damage was done.
Eleanor said: “The shock and embarrassment destroyed my self-esteem and affected my whole family. When the boys were arrested, circulation stopped but the images are still out there. I want young people to seriously think before sharing intimate photos. I didn’t realise it was illegal either, but I wanted justice.”
Maggie added: “Eleanor kept this from us for months, feeling ashamed and blaming herself. Our family’s still healing, and we’ve even kept details from her brother to protect him. I’m proud she’s using her story to help others.”
Police Warn: Sexting Is No Laughing Matter
Det Supt Zena Marshall, head of the Met’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation unit, said: “Sexting might seem normal to kids but the consequences can ruin lives for years. Eleanor’s story is sadly not unique. We urge anyone affected to report immediately.”
The Met stresses it doesn’t want to criminalise youngsters unnecessarily. Instead, it’s pushing education to raise awareness that creating or sharing explicit images involving under-18s is illegal — even if they are the ones sharing.
“We want young people to understand the risks and legal troubles they could face. Many are simply unaware,” added Det Supt Marshall.
New Measures and Education Drive Underway
- The Met has doubled its specialist team to over 200 officers focused on online child abuse.
- Locally-based units now support frontline detectives with training on sexting and related cases.
- Officers receive updated toolkits and guidance to handle the complex nature of such offences.
- Alternatives to prosecution include youth cautions, school talks, or social services referrals.
The force also warns that even “Outcome 21” warnings — where no prosecution is pursued but a record is kept — could affect young people’s future careers in child-related jobs.
With sexting becoming a disturbing new norm, the Met urges parents, schools, and youngsters to talk openly about the risks and legal facts before it’s too late.
Remember: If you or someone you know is caught in a sexting scandal, report it to the police immediately. Ignoring it could wreck lives.
