Sussex Police and partners have taken part in a campaign of arrests and safeguarding as part of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Intensification Week.
Led by the National Crime Agency and National Police Chiefs’ Council, the week focuses on how the police and partner agencies are responding to the growing scale, complexity and severity of child sexual abuse.
Beginning on Monday, 26 January, Sussex Police’s Online Child Abuse Team (OCAT) carried out a range of warrants targeting offenders and safeguarding vulnerable children.
On 27 January, two men were arrested in relation to alleged child sex offences in separate investigations.
Responding to concerns from a mother in West Sussex that her 14-year-old daughter was being exploited online, officers traced a 21-year-old man from Arundel and arrested him on suspicion of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. He has been released on conditional bail, and safeguarding visits conducted with children to which he had access.
That same day, a 36-year-old man from East Grinstead was arrested on suspicion of distributing and possessing an indecent photograph of a child following intelligence he had upload child sex abuse material line. He has been released on conditional bail.
A third man – aged 24 and from Eastbourne – was arrested on 29 January and bailed after also coming to the attention of police for uploading child sex abuse material.
Officers also visited a number of addresses during the week to provide safeguarding measures and advice on staying safe from exploitation, particularly online, and what to do if they are a victim.
Several referrals were made to Project SOLAH, a partnership between Sussex Police, Barnardo’s and the YMCA that helps young people and their families use the internet safely, with a tailored support plan for those at risk.
Detective Chief Inspector Luke Kyriakides-Yeldham said: “Child Sexual Abuse is an issue growing in scale, complexity and severity, and one that we and our partners are committed to tackling.
“We work hard with our local and national partners to share intelligence and disrupt offenders, especially in the ever-growing online space.
“It’s just as important we help support families and young people as they navigate a world that is increasingly online, providing them with the tools they need to stay safe and being there should the worst happen.
“Our message to offenders is clear – we have the resources and the expertise to identify you and hold you to account, and anyone intent on sexually abusing children should not feel safe on the streets of Sussex or online.”
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