Sexual offenders

A sexual offender is someone who has committed sexual offences against children or adults.

If there has not been a criminal conviction, or the matter is still under investigation, the individual is referred to as an alleged offender.

Sexual offences can include rape, indecent assault and indecent exposure, exposing children to pornography, and encouraging children to perform sexual acts on themselves, other children or the offender.

Some sexual offenders target children at a specific stage of sexual development. Others do not discriminate in this way and may also target adults who they see as vulnerable in some way. Most target children of a particular gender, but some target both. 

Many offenders ‘groom’ victims by first forming a friendship with, giving gifts, praise, etc, so that the child or adult is comfortable in their presence and trusts them. They also groom parents, carers and others in the community to gain their confidence that it is alright for them to be around their family. This grooming is very subtle and is usually more recognisable by outsiders than by those being groomed. Lone parent families, as well as children from low-income families, are often targeted.

Many people think that those who commit sexual offences against children are mostly lone adult males because this is the image frequently portrayed by the media. A significant number of allegations of sexual crimes are against other children and young people, women and groups. 

Many are ashamed of their activities, but that sense of shame may also drive their sexual offending cycle.

Whilst some offenders - when their offending is discovered - feel relief that their behaviour has been stopped, many initially refuse to admit that they have committed an offence and may continue to deny their guilt. This denial can be reinforced by family members who cannot accept what has happened. 

Online Sexual Offending

Offences can also include looking at indecent images of children including images of children being abused or photographed in provocative poses. In legal terms, production of indecent images of children means creating or causing such images to exist. This doesn’t just refer to taking photos—it can also include downloading, saving, or even copying across an image from one device to another, for example from a thumb drive. For example, if someone opens an image online or receives it through a message and it’s saved to their device, that can be considered “production.”  

Some people may wrongly believe that online sexual abuse is less serious or that it doesn’t involve real victims—but this is far from the truth. Survivors of online abuse, whether children or adults, often experience deep and lasting harm. The sharing of indecent images—including those created using AI—can normalise abusive behaviour and make it seem more acceptable. This increases the risk to vulnerable people and contributes to a culture where abuse is minimised or ignored. Online abuse is serious and must be treated with the same urgency and care as abuse that happens offline.