Four Welsh police forces, Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, North Wales and South Wales, are uniting with the UK-wide child protection charity, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF), for a critical campaign called Stop It Now. Running throughout November and December 2025, the initiative is designed to tackle the growing issue of online child sexual abuse by focusing on prevention.
The campaign is timely, following news that across the UK, 275,000 people received support from the Stop It Now helpline or online self-help last year. Alarmingly, in Wales, there was a 34% increase in people seeking help in 2024 compared to 2023.
In 2024 alone, a substantial 11,353 people in Wales reached out to the Stop It Now services, concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual behaviour towards children online. The need for action is clear across all regions:
- Dyfed Powys: 476 people sought help
- Gwent: 816 people sought help
- North Wales: 622 people sought help
- South Wales: 3,466 people sought help
The police and the LFF aim to raise awareness of the serious nature and scale of this issue in local communities. Thisincludes key illegal behaviours such as viewing sexual images of under-18s and sexual conversations (online grooming) with under-16s. These actions cause huge harm to children and carry severe consequences for offenders, including potential arrest, imprisonment and job loss.
The campaign includes targeted social media content, featuring films from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation designed specifically to deter these harmful online behaviours.
Detective Superintendent Wayne Bevan, Wales police lead for Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, emphasised the joint forces’ commitment to keeping children safe online.
“We all know that children are spending more and more time online… They should be able to do this safely and without the risk of becoming a victim of crime,” he said. “Police will always take action where offences are committed, but there is a clear benefit to prevention work and stepping in before a crime takes place.”
Detective Superintendent Bevan praised the LFF’s work: “Through the foundation’s online resources and helpline, potential perpetrators are diverted from committing offences, preventing children from becoming victims… The important work being carried out by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation gives us the chance to prevent abuse before it happens.”
Claire Short, Lucy Faithfull Foundation Wales Manager, stressed that online sexual offences affect all communities and that offenders come from all walks of life.
“We want people in Wales who are concerned about their online behaviours to contact us for support before it’s too late. We can help you find a pathway out – confidentially, anonymously and without judgement,” she stated.
The campaign encourages anyone in Wales, whether concerned about their own sexual thoughts or worried about a loved one’s behaviour, to reach out for anonymous support to prevent child sexual abuse.
Photography by South Wales Police
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