Lanarkshire teenager tells her story as NSPCC call for better online safety laws

dailyrecord.co.uk:

More than 3500 online grooming crimes have been recorded by Police Scotland while children have been waiting for online safety laws, new figures published by the NSPCC reveal today.Data from Police Scotland shows 593 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences were recorded last year (2022/23).The new research shows that in Scotland, 1873 offences took place against primary school children, with under-13s making up more than half of victims.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android The new analysis of the scale of child sexual abuse taking place on social media comes ahead of MPs and Lords making final decisions on the Online Safety Bill next month.The NSPCC first called for social media regulation to protect children from sexual abuse in 2017 and has been campaigning for robust legislation ever since.

A person from East Kilbride, was exploited online when aged 15 by an adult male who pretended to be a teenager. The man convinced the person to send him images of then went on to blackmail the person.When his demands became increasingly intense and frightening, the victim plucked up the courage to tell her mum and teachers, who helped them to report it to the police.The victim said: “When I found out I’d been talking to an older man I was petrified.