Overview
- Police in England and Wales recorded 3,951 offences to the end of June under the Online Safety Act, which criminalised cyber-flashing in January 2024.
- The Metropolitan Police logged 268 cases, West Midlands 240, and Essex 192, the highest totals among forces.
- Classified within violence against women and girls, the dataset covers victims of all genders and is likely under-reported, according to the End Violence Against Women Coalition.
- Related new offences brought 41,064 threatening-communication and 6,541 false-communication reports over the same period.
- EVAW urges education, public campaigns, platform accountability, and court-backed takedowns with damages, while the Government says platforms must proactively prevent exposure and that abusers can be prosecuted.