Hundreds of children were victims and suspects of revenge porn in England and Wales last year

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More than  540 young people under 18 were victims and 360 were suspects of revenge porn in England and Wales last year, new data can reveal.

According to Freedom of Information requests filed by media literacy charity The Student View, there were 541 underage victims of revenge porn reported to 36 police forces in England and Wales last year.

While 360 teenagers were suspected of “disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress” between January and December 2019.

The average age of both the suspects and the victims was 15.

The youngest victim was an eight-year-old in Derbyshire and one teenager came forward as a victim three times in Essex.

More than 124 victims came forward to the Metropolitan Police, the highest of any police force with 167 suspects.

Campaigners at the NSPCC are calling for consent to be taught at schools in the upcoming relationships and sex education classes that were due to start in September.

Maggie Bradford, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the NSPCC, said: “A third of all child sexual abuse is perpetrated by other children. The non-consensual sharing of sexual videos and pictures is a big part of this problem, and can leave young people feeling guilty, ashamed, or totally humiliated.

“But sexual abuse is never the fault of the victim and it’s crucial that children are able speak out and get support without judgement if they fear an image has been shared without their permission.

“During the next academic year, for the first time all students should receive lessons on relationships and sex and it’s crucial they understand that they, and their peers, have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. This key message needs to reverberate throughout school so all pupils know consent is as important in the digital world as it is face to face.”

According to the Department for Education, these new RSE classes will “give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds” including lessons about the law.

The national curriculum for computing will also include e-safety and how to use technology “safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely”.

However due to the school closures following the pandemic, the Department of Education has given schools permission to delay teaching these compulsory classes for the first two terms of the school year.

This is despite the government-funded Revenge Porn Helpline reporting a 22 per cent rise in the number of adult victims reaching out for support during lockdown.

This support is not available for young people under 18 years of age and does not address the concerns of young people who are reluctant to report these crimes for “fear of judgement”.

LaToya Ridge from London Victims and Witness Service, run by Victim Support, believes a barrier to children coming forward is that they may feel to blame for sharing intimate images or videos with someone they trusted.

She said: “When it comes to revenge porn, one of the biggest barriers preventing young people from supporting a police investigation, or even seeking emotional support from us, is the fear of judgement.

“Many young people may feel they are to blame, or that they have even ‘let loved ones down’ by sharing intimate images or videos with someone they trusted. Our message to young people affected is that you are a victim of crime, and you are entitled to support.

“We also know that many parents feel helpless when their child has been targeted in this way, and we encourage them to also get in touch for emotional and practical help from Victim Support.”

The operations manager added that another hurdle is navigating the criminal justice system “as the court process is intimidating for almost anyone, regardless of age”.

The Department for Education, Home Office and Ministry of Justice have been contacted for comment.