CHILDREN as young as 12 are texting naked pictures of themselves to friends and also posting them online.
Warwickshire Police and the neighbouring West Mercia force have teamed-up to warn young people of the dangers of so-called ‘sexting’.
The forces say children and teenagers who are ‘sexting’ may actually be committing criminal offences.
Anyone possessing a naked or indecent picture of someone aged under 16 would technically be committing a criminal offence – and if prosecuted could be placed on the sex offenders register.
Teenagers are being targeted by the newly-launched Be Cyber Smart campaign, which urges them to think twice before ‘sexting’ and to pause before they post something on social media which they may later regret.
DCI Sean Paley said: “We do not want to alarm children, or their parents, but we do want them to be aware of the risks associated with ’sexting’.
“Protecting children from harm is a key priority for the police and we would like victims of all ages to have the confidence to come forward and report crimes.
“We have specially trained officers who can deal sensitively with children that are suffering from the consequences of ‘sexting’. These officers work closely with children’s services to ensure we arrive at the right outcome for both the victim and the offender.”
Visit www.ceop.police.uk or www.thinkuknow.co.uk for further information,or call ChildLine on 0800 1111.
