Child sexual abuse is on the rise, and internet plays an increasingly important part. This is the warning issued yesterday by Telefono Azzurro on the occasion of the Day Against Pedophilia and Child Pornography, pointing out that reports to the association have increased by a total of 17% since 2023: in particular, in 2024 alone, the 114 - Childhood Emergency helpline, managed by Telefono Azzurro, handled 192 cases with motivations related to "sexual abuse." Alarming stats that may only be the tip of a larger phenomenon that thrives on the Internet: in 79.6% of cases, the incidents recorded occurred online, 7.4% at home, and 5.5% on social media. The 2024 Annual Report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) also revealed a worrying increase in cases of online child sexual exploitation: during the year, the organization analyzed 424,047 reports, of which 291,273 contained sexual abuse content, 6% higher than in 2023. Artificial intelligence also plays a key role, with 245 cases found in 2024 compared to 51 in 2023, representing a 380% rise. In addition to the data provided by the Telefono Azzurro regarding the Italian situation, the Postal Police's data regarding the fight against child pornography indicates a substantial increase in the number of cases handled: over 2,800 cases were addressed, leading to around 1,000 searches, 147 arrests, and 1,037 individuals reported. In particular, the cases processed during the first quarter of 2025 experienced a substantial increase, with the arrest of 118 individuals (+293%) and the reports of 427 subjects (+53%). Additionally, over 370 delegated searches (+28%) were conducted against individuals who were involved in the production, possession, and exchange of child pornography.