Convicted sex offenders across England and Wales will be legally compelled to hand over details of their social media and dating app profiles to police, under new government plans. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the crackdown, warning that those who fail to comply could face up to five years behind bars.
Closing the Digital Loophole
The move is designed to tackle a surge in targeted attacks orchestrated online. Nearly one in five victims of sexual offences committed by strangers are now targeted via the internet, according to National Crime Agency data. Until now, police have had no formal mechanism to track the online activities of known offenders once they are back in the community.
Under the proposed secondary legislation to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the 70,052 registered sex offenders living in England and Wales at the end of March 2024 will have a new notification requirement. They must inform police if they open any new social media or dating accounts, or if they change jobs. This information will allow officers to monitor and boost surveillance of individuals deemed at risk of reoffending.
Enhanced Powers and Prevention Orders
If police believe an offender's online behaviour increases their risk, they can apply for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). This court order can restrict internet use and specifically ban the offender from maintaining social media or dating profiles. Offenders will also be required to preserve their internet history to prove compliance with any restrictions.
The strategy is part of a broader government push to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, a plan Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to fully unveil. "For too long, these crimes have been considered a fact of life. That's not good enough," Mahmood stated. "The government will use the full power of the state to bear down on abusers... Rapists, sex offenders and abusers will have nowhere to hide."
Support for Victims and Specialist Teams
Alongside the tougher monitoring, nearly £2m in funding has been allocated to a new team of online officers. This unit will use covert and intelligence-led techniques to target the digital activity of sex offenders and stalkers.
In parallel, the government announced significant changes to support services for survivors. A new initiative, Steps to Safety, will ensure referral services for victims of sexual violence are available in every part of England by 2029, accessible through GPs. Furthermore, up to £50m will be invested to expand the "child house" model of care for young victims of sexual abuse, aiming to establish one in every NHS region in England.
Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, welcomed the focus on online abuse but called for stronger action. She urged the government to make guidance for tech platforms mandatory, "with strong consequences" for breaches, arguing that online abuse has long been "minimised by the justice system and tech platforms."
