Senior gardai have stated that at the beginning of this year, on average, two Irish youngsters were identified as victims of child abuse images per week, reports Breaking News.
The disclosure was made on Thursday during a Policing Authority public meeting held at the Limerick Strand Hotel.
More than 25 Irish children—roughly two a week—were identified as victims of child abuse material in the first quarter of this year, according to Colm Noonan, chief superintendent of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau.
Additionally, Mr. Noonan informed the panel that between 2015 and 2022, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, located in the United States, sent 30% more referrals to Ireland for cases involving material that had an established connection to the nation, reports Breaking News.
He further warned that “sexual predators are absolutely everywhere on the internet” and said children as young as five had been identified as victims.
“In the first quarter of this year, we’ve identified over 25 children, that’s actual Irish children, who are victims of child abuse material. We’ve been able to identify those children, but the relevant supports in place to remove them from the risk or protect them from the risk,” reports Breaking News.
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