Reports of child sexual abuse material jumped 79% last year

Europol’s recent [i]Exploiting Isolation[/i] report noted that the world witnessed a surge in the consumption and dissemination of child sexual abuse material online during the Covid-19 crisis. 

Online traffic on Dark Web sites dedicated exclusively to child sexual exploitation and monitored by gardaí increased by 29% since the pandemic. Picture: iStock

Reports of child sexual abuse material jumped by 79% last year with a further spike in traffic to child sexual exploitation websites during Covid-19. 

Hotline.ie's annual report for 2019, which is to be published soon, will show the largest number of child sexual abuse material reports classified and actioned since 1999, and a year-on-year increase of 79% on 2018 figures.