We are seeing more and more children becoming victims of sexual abuse through online games, social networking sites and apps, which they can access through their tablets, mobile phones and games consoles. 

Sadly, not everyone online is who they claim to be. Grooming can happen both in person and online, often by a stranger, but it can also be someone they know.  

We have recently launched a county-wide online safety campaign, which is aimed at teenagers and young people to educate them on how to stay safe online, how to report any concerns and where to access support.  

Called #ENDGAME, the aim of the campaign is to encourage teenagers to think about the potential dangers of being active online.

This will be implemented as a phased campaign delivered over the course of several months and will cover five different topics, with targeted posts on Snapchat and Instagram aimed at teenagers and young people, encouraging them to BLOCK, REPORT, TELL if something doesn’t feel right. 

There will also be accompanying posts on Facebook and Instagram for parents and carers and dedicated campaign pages for both audiences on the force website, containing information and signposting to support. 

Statistics on the NSPCC website state that there has been an 82 percent rise in online grooming crimes against children in the last five years. 

It can be difficult to tell if your child is being groomed – the signs aren't always obvious and may be hidden.  

Some signs to look out for: 

We are encouraging you to familiarise yourself with some of the signs to look out for and to talk to your children about their online activity, what apps they use, games they like to play and sites they regularly visit and let them know they can come to you if something they don’t like happens online - whatever that is. 

What’s the #ENDGAME? Do you know who your child is talking to online? 

For more information, support and how to report any concerns, please visit the campaign page on our website.