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Closed petition PE2196: Address early sexual offending in Scotland

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to act on early sexual offending in young people and prevent future offending by:

  • taking tougher action on gateway offences such as unsolicited sexual images and peer assaults
  • educating young people about consent and online harms at school
  • creating a culture of parental accountability
  • introducing a youth monitoring register for offences committed by young people
  • providing real support for victims of all sexual offences

Background information

Non-contact sexual offences are too often minimised as “just a photo” or “low level,” yet research shows they are gateways to serious abuse. Victims suffer lasting harm, silenced by dismissals that groom girls to accept harassment and boys to believe it’s normal. In England & Wales, child-on-child sexual assaults rose 81% in 3 years; Scotland lacks this data. My aim is to protect victims and rehabilitate offenders before behaviour escalates. Scotland must catch sexual offending early to protect victims and prevent escalation.

  • Created by Leanne Kelly on behalf of Root The Rot
  • Date closed 25 February 2026

This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament

Find out about the decisions taken on this petition

561 signatures