By Cormac O’Keeffe
A child sexual abuse treatment service is reporting a sharp rise in sexually harmful behaviour among children.
Children at Risk Ireland (Cari) says increased exposure to online pornography, online grooming, and image-based abuse is having a “real impact” on children.
The therapeutic charity said sexually harmful behaviour accounted for 27% of its referrals in 2025, up from 8% in 2024.
Cari’s chief executive clinical officer Emer O’Neill said children under 12 cannot process what they see online and often “act it out, often with other siblings or peers”.
She warned that if such behaviour is not identified and addressed, it can lead to “further cycles of abuse”.
Cari today published its 2026–2030 strategy, entitled , which was launched by Minister for Children Norma Foley.
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