Stop It Now! targets child sex offenders
County-wide campaign includes police, council and agencies
A Multi-channel campaign launches across Staffordshire this week to target people who pose a sexual risk to children both online and offline.
The Stop It Now! campaign aims to educate those abusing, or at risk of doing so, about the harm caused by their behaviour and the consequences for those arrested. It also informs those at risk of offending, either online or offline, of the confidential help available to stop their illegal behaviour.
The campaign, led nationally by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, is being backed locally by a number of partners and support services across the county, including Staffordshire Police, the Staffordshire police, fire and crime commissioner, Staffordshire County Council, Together for Childhood, NSPCC and children’s safeguarding services.
The campaign promotes the Stop It Now! helpline – 0808 1000 900 – and website www.stopitnow.org. uk through on and offline media, covering print, radio, Facebook, Instagram and digital adverts. It encourages people, particularly men, to question their behaviour, understand the triggers to such behaviour and to get help to stop.
Last year, more than 1,850 people from Staffordshire sought help through the Stop It Now! confidential helpline or self-help website.
Donald Findlater, director at Stop It
Now! helpline, said: “Across the UK, including in Staffordshire, there is a growing problem of people viewing and sharing sexual images of under18s online.
“It is vital we all understand that viewing and sharing this material is illegal, that many of the images are of children being abused, and that those looking at or sharing them are causing harm and risk arrest, prosecution and being put on the sex offenders’ register.
“Most of the people looking at this illegal content aren’t the stereotypes that the public would expect – they are our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues.
“Some of them are just children themselves, but that doesn’t stop the behaviour from being illegal.
“Many of these individuals start out with a growing legal adult pornography habit, but then begin looking for riskier and more extreme material.
“The Stop It Now! helpline and website provide anonymous and confidential support and advice to help stop this behaviour.
“We also support friends and family worried about a loved one’s behaviour online, so that they can get the support they need at an early stage. No-one has to deal with it alone – we can help, just as we have helped tens of thousands of people in this position over recent years.”
As part of the campaign, workforce training will also take place in a bid to encourage businesses and practitioners to routinely share information about Stop It Now! with the broadest audience, so individuals know that help to prevent harm to children is available.
Detective Inspector Kathryn Tomkins of the Child Protection Exploitation Team said: “We do not stop in our pursuit of those sexually exploiting children.
“In 2021, we investigated 327 cases of indecent images of children and it cannot be underestimated the impact it has on victims and their families.
“Through Operation Safenet we use specialist resources to identify sexually harmful or indecent
behaviours so we can, through enforcement, protect and safeguard children. Prevention is equally important, however, and we encourage anyone who recognises
their own thoughts and behaviour, or behaviour of others, as concerning, to get help through Stop It Now!”
Staffordshire’s police, fire & Crime commissioner, Ben Adams said: “Safeguarding young people is a key priority in my recently launched Police and Crime Plan and this campaign will assist in driving long-term changes to behaviours to protect the young people of Staffordshire.”