For wives and partners, parents, adult family members and friends of people who they suspect or know may be viewing sexual images of under 18s online, or engaging in other inappropriate online sexual behaviours involving children.
Sexual thoughts or behaviour
Finding out or suspecting someone close to you is experiencing sexual thoughts about children, or engaging in illegal sexual behaviour.
How thoughts link to behaviour
Having sexual thoughts about children does not necessarily mean that the person having these thoughts only has a sexual interest in children
Why people experience sexual thoughts
It’s often assumed that people who have sexual thoughts about children, or commit sexual offences, are somehow very different from the rest of society.
Accepting someone has sexual thoughts
Coming to terms with the reality that a person close to you has been having sexual thoughts about children and/or abusing a child can be a very difficult.
People deny thoughts and behaviours
Sometimes people will find it hard to admit or talk about their sexual thoughts or behaviour to a child. It is likely that they will have been keeping the behaviour a secret.
What are the risks?
If someone you know is engaging in sexual thoughts about children it can carry risks, not only for the individuals experiencing these thoughts but also potentially for the well-being of children.
