The Herald today has:
Scots online grooming crimes soar during wait for safety law
and the Mail has
THOUSANDS OF SCOTS CHILDREN GROOMED ONLINE
The UK Conservative Government has delayed and delayed legislation to enable greater controls on the companies hosting these online spaces, under pressure from them to protect their cash flow.
The Mail even lets a Scottish Con MSP wail about this crime without asking her why her party is failing these victims.
The Police Scotland facts suggest, no surprise there, that the headlines are a bit on the hysterical side:
Reports of online child abuse continue to increase with nearly 2,000 offences recorded by Police Scotland in 2022 – 23.
During the reporting year (1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023), 1,928 online child sexual abuse crimes were recorded in Scotland, a 6.6 per cent increase (20 more crimes) on the five-year mean.
https://www.scotland.police.uk/what-s-happening/news/2023/june/increase-in-online-child-abuse-reports/
6.6% and under 2 thousand so neither ‘soaring’ nor ‘thousands.’
Footnote: 20 more crimes is 6.6% of around 2 thousand? Who did that sum? 1%?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
The usual hysterical , anti-Scottish Daily Wail , describing a Scotland that does not exist .
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“The Mail” often has form on letting anyone “wail” if their “wail” can then be misconstrued as one that is connecting the Scottish government, as if they too are somehow to be seen as connected with, complicit in …or even culpable for any blame….but then “The Mail” does ‘pale’ into significance as to one that any honest, decent and fair minded person would choose to either buy, read or promote as a credible source of non biased news……more really news that is tainted by their association with the Tory party…..thus non impartial and partisan.
I mean this matter is within the remit of ONLY the UK government’s powers…so to offer a platform to a Tory MSP in Scotland, as in a platform to vent their anger upon this serious matter, as if somehow it , as a matter, was unconnected to her OWN party at HQ’s via their reserved powers…. when really rather than seek her opinion what they should be doing instead , as a so called newspaper, is reinforcing the point that tis yet another failure by the Tories at HQ to seek to address this serious issue that impacts so many within their UK…..and is GROWING because there is no solution being brought forward by the Tories at HQ…..I mean surely there is SOME Tory donors that need another contract from Tory HQ to try and solve this issue….via REAL companies that is…. not recently formed ones like the PPE mob….but then when legislation impacts company’s PROFITS and too results in impacting Tory donations and support….well we then know what and who will ultimately be the loser(s)…..some of the unsafe online services some of us use and too us the public.
Yet another Daily Mail (and other newspapers also indulge in this) example of when tis anything BAD then….for them…there is NO show without (the) Punch(bags) as in the SNP/Scottish government and too Scotland becoming promoted as in highlighted as also somehow being involved….beyond pathetic but predictable…..just think if we were NOT a part of the UK we would then NOT be dragged into their UK failures and too their constant stream of UK BAD news days…..
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Absolutely, well said.
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Re the arithemetic in the Police Scotland Report – I think that the 20 ought to be 120 more crimes compared to the five-year average. If 1928 represents a 6.6% increase on the five-year average, this means the five year average was 1808.
Separately, the BBC reports that the NSPCC has issued a statement regarding the numbers of on-line crimes reported to it. The piece refers to the UK. Although NSPCC has a branch in Scotland, we also have Children First so it is not clear from the BBC article how much the data refers to Scotland. BBC Scotland has not picked up on The Herald and Mail articles – yet – to join in the pile-on.
Like many sexual crimes, I think that the increased publicity to report such matters has led to an increase in reports, which is a good thing. However, increased reporting does not necessarily imply that the number of crimes has increased because previously much was unreported.
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I may have missed it but on such an important topic it’s a pity that the NSPCC has not published ‘chapter and verse’ regarding its data and analysis. All I’ve seen is what is essentially a lengthy press release on its website. A consequence seems to be that different news outlets are ‘cutting and pasting’, and emphasising, the NSPCC’s summary in different ways. Some Radio 4 news bulletins this morning were even reporting the NSPCC findings as being for England and Wales only.
I note that The Independent, The Guardian and The Telegraph all refer to the NSPCC’s claim that since 2017/18 offences associated with sexual communications with children have increased by 82%. This is for the UK overall as far as I can see. All have ‘sober’ articles as befits the topic.
The Herald is report a ‘soaring’ rise in the equivalent crime in Scotland over the same period of 60%, from a 3 year average of 399 to 2017 rising to a three year average of 637 in the years to 2022.
Notwithstanding these comparisons, it is Scotland that is in the ‘GRIP OF A PANDEMIC AS THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN …..’ – according to the Scottish Daily Mail!
I’m not sure who demonstrates more shamelessness, the Mail with its sensationalism and overt gaslighting, or the Tory MSP it quotes, the deputy leader of the Tories in Scotland no less. When Meghan Gallacher talks “deeply worrying”, “worry parents across Scotland” and about the importance of child protection in this context is she even aware that today most other news sources and the NSPCC itself are referring to the unwelcome and damaging delay in legislating to address these online communication crimes, and that this is down wholly to her party in government in Westminster?
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Strange the EngGov don’t seem too bothered about protecting children do they. Let’s not forget this…the EngGov blocked the Scottish government from implementing the UNCRC in Scotland. The EngGov have aspirations for the working class children, it’s called cannon fodder.
https://www.gov.scot/news/protecting-childrens-rights/
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The creepy Brit Nit “grooming gangs” want to brainwash us and our children so they can exploit out resources.
Via the BEEB, Heil, Supress, Hootsmon and all rest of the yellow-page sleaze merchants.
The Truth is Out There!
Vote Tory, get Tory.
Vote Labour, get Tory.
Vote Dumb, get what you deserve! —Wee Wullie and Cauld-Ham.
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