Number of child sex abuse images online 'up by 40%'

ITV News can exclusively reveal that the number of images of child sex abuse reported to the Internet Watch Foundation has increased by 40% this year.

Whilst the volume has increased, the age of those featured has decreased: The vast majority of illegal images feature a child under 10.

• The volume of child abuse images reported grew by 40% year on year
• 88% of the material features the abuse of children under ten (an increase of 7% from last year)
• 61% of the images feature rape and torture
• 77% of the images feature girls (up 11% from last year)

• 10% of images feature both boys and girls (down 7% from last year)
• 12% of the images feature boys (down 5% from last year)