'Stop It Now' South West Campaign Launched
- Throughout February 2026, more than 30 agencies across the South West1 including NHS, local authorities, and police are campaigning with UK-wide child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF) to deter online child sexual abuse.
- In 2025, 23,000 people across the South West, a 30% increase since 2024, sought help from the Stop It Now helpline or online self-help services, concerned about their own or someone else’s online sexual behaviour towards children.2
- These included 7956 in Devon, 1217 in Cornwall, 3516 in Bristol, 2498 in Gloucestershire, 3050 in Wiltshire, 2443 in Dorset, and 2905 in Somerset and Avon.3
31 agencies across the South West are joining forces with UK-wide charity Lucy Faithfull Foundation on a campaign to deter people from online child sexual abuse, and signposting to anonymous support to change behaviour and prevent harm available through Stop It Now.
The campaign follows news that 332,000 people in the UK received support from Stop It Now helpline or online self-help in 2025. In the South West, there has been a 20% increase in people seeking help from Stop It Now in 2025 compared to 2024.4
Working together, these agencies aim to raise awareness of the scale and nature of online child sexual abuse in the South West, and how to stop it. This includes viewing sexual images of under-18s and online sexual grooming.
31 agencies and partnerships have pledged to take part in the campaign across NHS, local councils, law enforcement, and charities.5
The campaign includes three of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation films shared by partners on organic social media, webinars for professionals, guidance for professionals, specifically focusing on healthcare settings, increased investment in digital advertising across the South West using the campaign films, and communications materials for use in healthcare settings, including posters, stickers, and waiting room screens. The campaign films are designed to deter people from viewing sexual images of children online or having sexual conversations with children online.
The campaign signposts anyone in the South West concerned about their own or someone else’s online sexual behaviour to the anonymous Stop It Now helpline to prevent child sexual abuse – before it happens.
Viewing sexual images of under-18s and sexual conversations with under-16s are illegal, causing huge harm to children, and there are serious consequences including potential arrest, imprisonment and job loss. But there is confidential help available to stop via the anonymous Stop It Now helpline.
Tom Squire, Head of Clinical Engagement at Lucy Faithfull Foundation said:
“As a national charity, we’re partnering with agencies like the police and NHS because every part of society has a role to play in the prevention of child sexual abuse. We're highlighting a hidden problem that goes on behind closed doors – the harm that people cause online, that maybe no one else in their life knows about.
People who commit these offences come from all walks of life, and they can get to this dark place for many different reasons. This behaviour is illegal, it causes devastating harm to victims, and has grave consequences for you if you are caught - but there is confidential support to find a pathway out and change your behaviour. Contact the Stop It Now helpline to speak confidentially to expert advisors at 0808 1000 900 or www.stopitnow.org.uk. There’s no judgement, and no tracking, just anonymous support to change harmful behaviour online.”
Dr Rosie Luce, Assistant Director of Nursing (Safeguarding) at South West NHS England and NHS Improvement, said:
"The NHS across England is committed to preventing child sexual abuse, as well as to responding to the harm it causes, so we fully support this important campaign.
“By working with charities like the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, we can help make sure people know what support is available and how to access it. We want anyone engaging in harmful behaviour to recognise it for what it is, before they hurt themselves or someone else.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Sheon Sturland, who leads Devon & Cornwall Police’s work to safeguard vulnerable people, said:
“Devon & Cornwall Police is pleased to support the Stop It Now campaign, which by its close focus on a real and harmful issue and careful targeting of its messages is clearly reaching the right people. In 2024 more than 8,000 people in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly sought help from Stop It Now, and 9,173 in 2025.”
“It’s important that everyone understands that viewing or downloading sexual images of children or sharing them is illegal and that it causes real harm to children. Our priority is to prevent that harm, and officers and staff in our Neighbourhood Policing teams, Public Protection Unit and Paedophile Online Investigation Team work tirelessly towards this end.
“AI generated sexual images of children have been in the news recently, and if you think they are not illegal and “don’t count”, you are mistaken. They’re illegal child sexual abuse. If you are viewing or making these or any other images, you need to reach out for help to stop.
“The consequences are very serious for people who are caught. This includes imprisonment, the sex offenders register, family breakdown, and loss of employment. Stop It Now provides confidential help to stop viewing these harmful materials and therefore a pathway out of this behaviour. It is better for everyone – victims, potential offenders, their families, and the police and safeguarding partner agencies - if it is stopped as soon as possible.
“Between April and October last year we saw eleven men from Devon and Cornwall aged between 30 and 80 appear in court for the sexual abuse of children, both physical and online. This resulted in prison sentences ranging from 27 months to 27 years, a total of over 118 years. These lengthy sentences were in addition to other penalties and prevention orders given to other offenders.
“We urge anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual behaviour towards children to contact Stop It Now.”
Chief Superintendent Liz Hughes from Avon and Somerset Police said:
"Protecting children and vulnerable people is a responsibility we all share. As the lead for Public Protection in Avon and Somerset Police, I see every day the power of policing, charities, public sector partners and families working together. No single agency can prevent harm alone — it is coordinated action that truly keeps people safe and helps prevent abuse before it happens."
