UK police forces are failing to adequately protect child victims of online sexual abuse amid a 67% annual rise in referrals — from 12,469 in 2023 to 20,704 in 2024 — according to a report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (the independent body that oversees policing standards in England and Wales). Investigators are managing up to 54 active cases at a time, digital examination of suspects' devices can take up to two years, and some forces are avoiding arrests in favour of voluntary interviews due to high workloads, leaving children exposed to ongoing harm. The chief inspector called on the Home Office and police leaders to act urgently, while the report also flagged the growing role of AI in generating child sexual abuse material and recommended new national training and a review of staffing levels.