• Many young people consider Internet friendships as an extremely important part of their social network. It is important to recognise sexually oriented online relationships occur much less frequently than benign friendships; therefore, young people can see repeated warnings about the risk of online encounters as unrealistic.

• Not all online sexual solicitors fit the media stereotype of the adult male and it is important to be aware of the fact that some times adult males pose as females or young people when conversing with children online.

• Harassment, in the form of threatening or malicious messages, e-mails, and Web pages, is frequently more distressing to young people than online sexually oriented encounters because such harassment often involves people who live close enough to the victim to carry out their online threats.

If you know about a child who is in immediate danger or risk, call 999 or contact your local police. In non-emergency situations, or to report minor crime, contact your local police force. For details on how to contact your local police force, visit www.police.uk/forces/.

Content that you have seen online, which you consider to be potentially illegal, can be reported to the Internet Watch Foundation. There is no need to contact the police directly as the Internet Watch Foundation are qualified to judge the illegality of the material and will report to the police if necessary.

How can you report suspicious behaviour online with or towards a child? UK residents can report concerns about suspicious and/or inappropriate behaviour online with or towards a child direct to law enforcement via the VGT website.

Samaritans provides confidential emotional support for people who are in emotional distress including those who have suicidal thoughts. If you are worried, feel upset or confused and just want to talk. You can phone the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90

The Sexual Offences Act 2003, saw the introduction of a new offence of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (s.10 of the 2003 Act), carrying sentences of up to 14 years for non-contact abuse, which may include activities such as, for example, persuading children to take their clothes off, causing the child to touch themselves sexually, sending indecent images of themselves etc. Two separate offences expand the legal remit to include situations where the behaviour leads to the child viewing sexual activity; engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child (s.11) and causing a child to watch a sexual act (s.12). Both carry the maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. In an online context it is conceivable that non-contact related offences might involve, for example, activities whereby an adult encourages a child or a young person to send pictures of themselves either naked or engaged in specific sex acts, or perhaps an individual may send pornographic images to a child. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 ensures that this behaviour is covered by domestic law.