'Stop It Now' helpline set up for people with sexual thoughts about children
The pilot provides anonymous guidance to people manage their impulses before harm occurs
A confidential helpline for people with sexual thoughts about children has been set up in the hopes of stopping abuse before it can happen.
The Stop It Now! campaign is a specialised helpline offering "anonymous, non judgmental support" to those worried about their sexual behaviour.
Modelled on a UK helpline, it also offers information and support to those worried about the behaviour of family or professionals seeking guidance.
It is currently in its pilot stage, operating from Monday to Friday from 9 am until 1 pm on 99059414. An online chat service is under development for a later phase.
The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) launched the helpline on Friday. It said it will assess the needs and risks presented, develop a support and intervention plan, and monitor the individual's progress.
Calls intend to develop an understanding of underlying patterns of behaviour, encourage personal responsibility and accountability, support well-being, and reduce isolation by creating safety plans to manage risk and connect callers with appropriate services, it said.
What the data currently shows
FSWS data shows child protection cases rose from 2,306 in 2020 to 4360 in 2023, with roughly 200 new reports of child abuse received every month.
Child abuse was a pressing problem in 16 per cent of all FSWS cases last year. Those figures cover all forms of abuse, including neglect, physical and emotional harm.
In 2025, 173 cases of child sexual abuse were reported to child protection services.
A further 296 reports were received through the ChildWebAlert hotline relating to URLs containing child sexual abuse material.
'Heinous' act
Minister for social policy and children's rights Michael Falzon described child sexual abuse as a "heinous" act and said he was hopeful that demand for the service in Malta would remain low.
Malta currently has existing services that primarily handle abuse after it has been identified or reported.
Child Safety Services works with schools, families and educators when children have experienced or may experience harm. Child Protection Services investigates allegations referred by police, schools, medical professionals and Supportline 179.
The ChildWebAlert allows the public to report child sexual abuse material found online anonymously.
None of those services is designed to reach adults at risk of offending before a child is harmed. The new helpline is intended to fill that gap.
International campaigns
Stop It Now was first developed in the United States in 1992 by a child sexual abuse survivor, Fran Henry. It has since been adopted in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium.
The UK programme provided by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation is a confidential helpline and online resources.
In 2012 to 2013, the UK and Ireland service carried out 6,278 interventions. By 2025, that figure had risen to 19,349.