Get Help or Get Caught
Perpetrators - We're on to you
Stop it Now! Scotland offers a confidential support service for offenders and those concerned about their thoughts or actions in relation to the sexual exploitation of children. In 2019 they were contacted by 6,010 individuals seeking help. If you're concerned about your behaviour #GetHelpOrGetCaught.
In Scotland, any person under the age of 16 (or those under 17 in special legislative circumstances) is classified as a child. Sexual conversations with children or young people are classed as Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and perpetrators will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register if charged.
Police Scotland has a specialist unit, the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (NCAIU), to support the investigation of complex child abuse and neglect across Scotland. Police Scotland works to secure convictions with partner agencies across the UK. Investigation of sexual crimes against children is one of Police Scotland's highest priorities.
A charge of Child Sexual Abuse can change your life forever, and risks you losing your job, your family, your friends and your liberty.
What is Child Sexual Abuse?
"Sexual abuse is any act that involves the child in any activity for the sexual gratification of another person, whether or not it is claimed that the child either consented or assented. Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or in watching sexual activities, using sexual language towards a child or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways."
(Scottish Government, 2010)
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Targeting young people online for any sexually motivated purpose is wrong and you will get caught. Online child abuse offences such as grooming and downloading child abuse images are serious crimes, and can result in conviction and the offender being placed on the sex offenders register.
- You are putting yourself at huge risk of being publically exposed, losing your privacy, your family, your home, employment and liberty.
- You do not know who you are talking to online. It could be a young person or it could be the police.
- Concerned about your behaviour visit Stop It Now!Scotland for further advice #GetHelpOrGetCaught.
- Our 2020-21 Quarter 2 Performance Report found that a total of 1,036 online child sexual abuse crimes were recorded between April and September this year. This is an increase of 18.4% on the previous year and 162.1% above the five year mean.
- If you feel you are at risk of committing this type of offence, we urge you strongly to get in contact with Stop it Now! Scotland for confidential advice and support.
