Policing the void: Safeguarding victims in virtual waiting rooms

This article reflects on the child safeguarding vacuum that exists between the arrival of a cyber tip referral of child online harm with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and before it is passed on to the UK policing service for further action. The views expressed in this article are driven by my qualitative interview results from specialist policing sectors dealing with online harm referrals emanating from the NCA. Rather than exploring or questioning why such delays exist, this reflection attempts to highlight and illustrate the complexity of knowing that those tasked with safeguarding and bringing offenders to justice are doing so in a vacuum they cannot control, speed up, or investigate. Children, young people, and vulnerable victims are left to wait in a virtual queue, while it is highly likely that their abuse continues in the background. This article sheds light on and brings to the forefront the virtual waiting room that exists, where child victims of unspeakable acts are left to queue, sometimes for up to a year, before being allocated help, assistance, and safeguarding.