Sharp rise in sexually harmful behaviour among children linked to online exposure

Children at Risk Ireland (Cari) said sexually harmful behaviour accounted for 27% of its referrals in 2025, up from 8% in 2024.

A child sexual abuse treatment service is reporting a sharp rise in sexually harmful behaviour among children.

Children at Risk Ireland (Cari) says increased exposure to online pornography, online grooming, and image-based abuse is having a “real impact” on children.

The therapeutic charity said sexually harmful behaviour accounted for 27% of its referrals in 2025, up from 8% in 2024.

Cari’s chief executive clinical officer Emer O’Neill said children under 12 cannot process what they see online and often “act it out, often with other siblings or peers”.

She warned that if such behaviour is not identified and addressed, it can lead to “further cycles of abuse”.

Cari today published its 2026–2030 strategy, entitled Ensuring Child Sexual Abuse Never Shapes a Child’s Future, which was launched by Minister for Children Norma Foley.

“Our referrals for sexually harmful behaviour amongst children are increasing yearly,” Ms O’Neill said. “This refers to children showing sexualised behaviour that is unsafe, inappropriate for their age, or harmful to themselves or others.”

She said there is a clear link between this behaviour and the increasing exposure of children to internet pornography.

“Children under 12 cannot process what they see, so they act it out, often with other siblings or peers," Ms O’Neill said. "Parents really struggle when dealing with this kind of behaviour, but if it is not tackled effectively, it can just generate further cycles of abuse.” 

“In 2024, just 8 percent of Cari’s referrals related to sexually harmful behaviour. By 2025, this figure had risen to 27 percent. A further 10 percent involved both child sexual abuse and sexually harmful behaviour.” 

Ms O’Neill said referrals relating solely to child sexual abuse accounted for 63% of cases.

She said the current controversy and public outrage surrounding AI ‘nudification’ apps and deepfake sexual abuse imagery, including child sexual abuse material, are alarming.

“We are very seriously concerned about the growing online and AI-driven risks, and the changing nature of sexual harm against children,” she said.

Ms O’Neill said national crime data and frontline service trends point to earlier exposure and increasing levels of online exploitation.

“Sexual harm against children is not only persisting, it is also evolving,” Ms O’Neill said. “National figures show that children continue to account for a significant proportion of sexual offence victims, while our own services are seeing the impact of online exposure, grooming and harmful sexual content on children than ever before.”

Ms O’Neill said Central Statistics Office figures from 2024 show that half of all recorded sexual offence victims were under 18.

Cari’s 2026–2030 strategy commits to shaping a more positive future for child victims of sexual abuse, with a focus on amplifying children’s voices and delivering trauma-informed support.

“The rise in referrals involving sexually harmful behaviour reflects earlier identification of concerning behaviour and the changing environments in which harm occurs,” Ms O’Neill said. 

“Increased exposure to online pornography, online grooming and image-based abuse is having a real impact on children.” 

“With the emergence of AI-enabled image manipulation, we are deeply concerned that children are increasingly at risk of encountering harmful content they should never be exposed to.” 

Sarah Jane Judge, chair of Cari, said: “[Our new strategy] provides a clear and sustainable direction for Cari, grounded in evidence and lived experience. Protecting children requires shared responsibility and the ability to adapt as risks evolve, particularly in digital environments.” 

“Government, public services, communities and technology companies must renew their commitment to protecting children. Urgent action is needed to address sexual abuse risks, both online and offline. Safeguarding children must remain a shared national responsibility.”