Parents are being warned that 'something significant happens' when young people get unfettered access to a smartphone.
New figures from the Department of Justice show the number of children and teenagers caught committing sexual offences has almost doubled over the past decade.
In 2013 the number of minors reported to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme for sexual offences was 248.
Last year the number of referrals of children aged between 10 and 18 had risen to 462.
The figure stood at just 72 back in 2010, according to figures released by Junior Justice Minister James Browne.
Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) Executive Director Cliona Sadlier told Newstalk Breakfast these are just cases referred to Gardaí.
"We're talking about sexual offences across the range," she said.
"The figures... are the ones that are referred to An Garda Síochána.
"These [would be] the full range that fall under the law".
'Image-based sexual violence'
Ms Sadlier said unfettered internet access for younger people is a 'very big problem'.
"We know that something significant happens when you put a smartphone in people's hands," she said.
"What we're looking at there is social media and access to pronogrpahy.
"The changes in how we have normalised, if you like, image-based sexual violence and how that connects to real life [and] real-world perpetration; there's a lot more we need to know about precisely how that relationship works and precisely the causal effect".
'Equipping parents'
Ms Sadlier said the issue is 'being grappled with' at several levels.
"At a European level, at a domestic level we have a whole new set of regulations coming in", she said.
"What we're talking about there is empowering both the regulator, the State, the Garda Síochána [and] there's Coimisiún na Meán now who's also in this space.
"We're also talking about equipping parents with the tools and that also involves raising awareness of parents to tell them what these tools are and how they can use these tools".
A person sending a text message on a smartphone, 30-5-20. Image: Tero Vesalainen / AlamyMs Sadlier said these tools would be around "control measures in order to create safety".
"We do need to take on the regulation of the internet," she said.
"Just because we haven't got that right yet doesn't mean we don't have a responsibility to do it".
Ms Sadlier said RCNI figures from 2013 show 37% of adult survivors say their abuser were children themselves.
In June 2023, CSO statistics showed some 73% of people aged 18 to 24 who experienced sexual violence as a child were abused by another child under 18.
The aim of the Garda Youth Diversion Programme is to prevent young people between the ages of 12 and 18 from entering into the criminal justice system.
For certain serious crimes, young people aged 10 and 11 are also considered for inclusion in the programme.
Anyone affected by issued raised in this article can contact the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Helpline on 1 800 77 8888
