Irish agency acted on three times more child sexual abuse images last year than in 2020

The shocking details are contained in the Hotline.ie annual report, published yesterday.

It shows the group, which assesses and acts upon reports about child sexual abuse material and intimate image abuse, got a record 29,794 reports last year — almost three times as many as in 2020, and more than the previous three years combined — with most related to suspected child sex abuse material.

Within these reports, there were signs of grooming behaviour by adults in the form of instructions and threats.

Each report can involve anything from a single image to thousands of images and videos, with victims ranging in age from infants to pubescent children.

Of the almost 30,000 reports received in 2021, Hotline.ie’s analysts categorised and removed 14,772 images relating to child sexual abuse.

The report also includes, for the first time, statistics on intimate image abuse (IIA), or the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and videos.

Between September 2021 and September 2022, Hotline.ie received 773 reports of suspected intimate image abuse and, of the 525 that it could act on, 94% were successfully removed at source.

Justice Minister Simon Harris said the removal rate is very encouraging, particularly as none of the content was hosted in Ireland.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) welcomed the report and said that it is particularly concerned that one in four of the child sexual abuse materials reported appeared to have been generated by children themselves.

ISPCC’s senior policy and public affairs manager, Fiona Jennings, said the findings in Hotline.ie’s annual report, People Not Pixels, ought to get attention and action from legislators.

“Education is crucial but it must not be left solely to children to stop this abuse.

“We all have a role to play and must stand together against such abhorrent crimes.”

She said those working to identify victims and perpetrators, and those in law enforcement, must be better resourced.

The ISPCC also reiterated its call for a national strategy on child sexual abuse as per the recommendation of the Garda Inspectorate to ensure the problem is meaningfully tackled.