More than 23,000 people across the South West sought support in 2025 because they were worried about their own or someone else’s sexual behaviour online towards children — a 30% rise since 2024.
In response, over 30 agencies across the South West have joined forces with the national child‑protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation to launch a major regional campaign throughout February 2026 aimed at preventing online child sexual abuse before it happens.
This partnership brings together the NHS, local authorities, police forces, and specialist safeguarding organisations, all working collectively to raise awareness and direct people to anonymous support through the charity’s confidential service, Stop It Now!
Nationally, 332,000 people accessed support in 2025. This campaign highlights the hidden harm of online behaviours including viewing sexual images of under‑18s and online grooming, and aims to ensure people know that help is available early, before a crime is committed or further harm is caused.
Viewing sexual images of under-18s and sexual conversations with under-16s are illegal, causing huge harm to children, and there are serious consequences including potential arrest, imprisonment and job loss. But there is confidential help available to stop via the anonymous Stop It Now! helpline: 📞 0808 1000 900 or via the website 🔗 www.stopitnow.org.uk
The campaign includes:
Three powerful campaign films – produced by Lucy Faithfull Foundation, the films, designed to deter harmful online behaviour, can be viewed here:
Click here to access 🔗 Videos – Stop It Now
Weekly webinars throughout February – these free webinars are open to any professionals working in the South West who want to learn more about child sexual abuse and its prevention – find out more and book your place here:
Click here to access: 🔗 ‘Stop It Now’ campaign – February webinar series – book now! – Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership
Social media activity – led by partner agencies throughout February.
To follow SSCP socials: 🔗 Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership | Facebook
A collaborative regional response:
A total of 32 agencies across NHS organisations, local councils, charities, and all regional police forces are supporting the campaign. Working together, these agencies aim to raise awareness of the scale and nature of online child sexual abuse in the South West, and how to stop it.
Tom Squire, Head of Clinical Engagement at Lucy Faithfull Foundation said:
As a national charity, we’re partnering with agencies like the police and NHS because every part of society has a role to play in the prevention of child sexual abuse. We’re highlighting a hidden problem that goes on behind closed doors – the harm that people cause online, that maybe no one else in their life knows about.
People who commit these offences come from all walks of life, and they can get to this dark place for many different reasons. This behaviour is illegal, it causes devastating harm to victims, and has grave consequences for you if you are caught – but there is confidential support to find a pathway out and change your behaviour. Contact the Stop It Now helpline to speak confidentially to expert advisors at 0808 1000 900 or www.stopitnow.org.uk. There’s no judgement, and no tracking, just anonymous support to change harmful behaviour online.
Dr Rosie Luce, Assistant Director of Nursing (Safeguarding) at South West NHS England and NHS Improvement, said:
The NHS across England is committed to preventing child sexual abuse, as well as to responding to the harm it causes, so we fully support this important campaign.
By working with charities like the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, we can help make sure people know what support is available and how to access it. We want anyone engaging in harmful behaviour to recognise it for what it is, before they hurt themselves or someone else.
Detective Chief Superintendent Sheon Sturland, who leads Devon & Cornwall Police’s work to safeguard vulnerable people, said:
Devon & Cornwall Police is pleased to support the Stop It Now campaign, which by its close focus on a real and harmful issue and careful targeting of its messages is clearly reaching the right people. In 2024 more than 8,000 people in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly sought help from Stop It Now, and 9,173 in 2025.
It’s important that everyone understands that viewing or downloading sexual images of children or sharing them is illegal and that it causes real harm to children. Our priority is to prevent that harm, and officers and staff in our Neighbourhood Policing teams, Public Protection Unit and Paedophile Online Investigation Team work tirelessly towards this end.
AI generated sexual images of children have been in the news recently, and if you think they are not illegal and “don’t count”, you are mistaken. They’re illegal child sexual abuse. If you are viewing or making these or any other images, you need to reach out for help to stop.
The consequences are very serious for people who are caught. This includes imprisonment, the sex offenders register, family breakdown, and loss of employment. Stop It Now provides confidential help to stop viewing these harmful materials and therefore a pathway out of this behaviour. It is better for everyone – victims, potential offenders, their families, and the police and safeguarding partner agencies – if it is stopped as soon as possible.
Between April and October last year we saw eleven men from Devon and Cornwall aged between 30 and 80 appear in court for the sexual abuse of children, both physical and online. This resulted in prison sentences ranging from 27 months to 27 years, a total of over 118 years. These lengthy sentences were in addition to other penalties and prevention orders given to other offenders.
We urge anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual behaviour towards children to contact Stop It Now.
Chief Superintendent Liz Hughes from Avon and Somerset Police said:
Protecting children and vulnerable people is a responsibility we all share. As the lead for Public Protection in Avon and Somerset Police, I see every day the power of policing, charities, public sector partners and families working together. No single agency can prevent harm alone — it is coordinated action that truly keeps people safe and helps prevent abuse before it happens.
