Heavy users of pornography are being drawn into viewing child abuse images online as their habits get more extreme, a charity has claimed. The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which runs a helpline for those concerned about accessing images of children being abused, said some users who view online pornography for long periods of time find themselves “desensitised” to mainstream material.
This can lead to them seeking out more extreme types of pornography, and in some cases this escalates further to them viewing images of child abuse, the charity says. Among people who access the helpline, the majority who have viewed such images say this behaviour started after extensive use of legal pornography.
The number of people accessing the LFF Stop it Now! helpline has risen by two-thirds in the past year to more than 270,000. Both offenders and their loved ones contact the service with concerns about online sexual behaviour towards children.
