A new survey shows recorded child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom surged by more than 30 percent in 2015.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), using data in every UK police force, said more than 45,450 children were the victims out of child sex abuse last year.
80 percent of the kids were girls. 2,400 of the cases were aged five or under.
Police say the rise is being pushed by predators searching online for victims.
According to the NSPCC, which used Freedom of Information laws, nearly 11,000 victims were under 10-years-old.
Chief constable Simon Bailey, who is in charge of combating child sexual abuse in England and Wales, told the Guardian that the surge was a result of increasing attacks on children.
“We are seeing exponential increases in the reporting of abuse year-on-year … Do I think there are more people with the sexual interest in children in the population? Probably not,” said Baily.
“What there is,…