# Police and charities support teenagers exposed to illegal online material

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/police-turn-to-charities-for-help-with-teenagers-caught-up-in-online-child-abuse/
- Published: 2026-11-06T06:00:44+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T06:35:22+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/nov/06/police-charities-pornography-online-child-abuse
- Topics: World

## Key points

- New pornography laws target extreme content.
- Police arrest about 1,000 people monthly for online child abuse offences.
- Forces are exploring civilian support visits for teenagers.

## Summary

Police forces are working with charities and partner agencies to support teenagers found viewing or sharing illegal online material, while officers warn that exposure to extreme pornography can lead some people towards child abuse images. The issue takes on added importance as new laws targeting particularly harmful pornography come into force, with police and legal experts saying enforcement should focus on the platforms distributing it.

The ban covers pornography depicting strangulation, incest, including some step-relations, or adults acting out fantasies involving under-16s; publishing or possessing such material is punishable by up to five years in prison. Police in England and Wales arrest about 1,000 people each month for online child sexual abuse offences, and officers say arrests are rising. West Mercia Police is considering a pilot in which civilian workers would visit children exposed to illegal material, drawing on a safeguarding project in Surrey.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.