How Can We Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation

We must recognise the real possibilities and opportunities to protect children before abuse occurs. While child sexual abuse cannot be eradicated entirely, it can, to some extent, be prevented — and where prevention is possible, it is our collective responsibility to act.

In 2021, PPHS responded to an EU Horizon call seeking innovative, evidence-based solutions to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation. The call emphasised improving understanding of offending behaviour, enhancing risk assessment tools, supporting potential offenders, and strengthening collaboration between police and civil society organisations. It also aimed to foster citizen trust in a safer, more secure Europe.

This call led to the creation of the 2PS (Prevent and Protect Through Support) project, officially launched in October 2022 and coordinated by PPHS. With a consortium of committed experts, 2PS focuses on protecting children through early intervention, support for at-risk individuals, and cross-sector cooperation.

Now in its final year, the 2PS project is entering a pivotal phase, with key events and deliverables on the horizon. At the same time, PPHS is preparing to create an online publication focused on prevention as a central strategy in the fight against child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE). As we prepare to share these insights, it’s an appropriate moment to reflect on why prevention matters, and how proactive, supportive interventions can help reduce harm before it occurs.

Watch the new video produced by the 2PS project for the 'Prevention is Child Protection' campaign.

Forms of the child sexual abuse material (CSAM)

The term: child sexual abuse material (CSAM) refers to any content depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. This includes images and videos featuring minors, as well as AI-generated content that portrays young people in sexual context. Additionally, CSAM can also take the form of 'youth-produced' material—content that is self-generated, coerced, or produced under pressure (e.g. semi-nude ‘selfies’).

The alarming truth is that the very internet platforms we use daily to communicate and share information—such as social media, online games, and email—are increasingly being misused to distribute and obtain CSAM. This harmful content can now be encountered across almost every corner of the online space.

The Worldwide Statistics of Online CSAE Indicate a Needed Change

Figures and statistical data point to the urgent need for change for tackling CSAE. In 2024, over 20 million reports containing nearly 63 million files were forwarded to LEAs for investigation. This represents a 55% increase compared to the previous year. The majority of these reports originate from the USA’s National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), where providers are legally required to report any child sexual abuse material (CSAM) discovered on their platforms. In addition, NCMEC’s systems identified a further 1,400 reports per day flagged as potentially time-sensitive, often involving chats, files, or other critical information requiring immediate attention.

The volume of referrals is overwhelming, and authorities cannot currently process everything. Thankfully, there are projects like AviaTor, Grace, and ARICA (plus others) that have contributed to improving law enforcement agencies' (LEAs) capacity. Still, the numbers are morale-crushingly high, and we must consider other tactics to address the problem.

Historically, most countries have taken a reactive approach to dealing with reports of CSA. The police often do a fantastic job of investigating cases involving children being abused and exploited or have that have been in the past. Police work diligently to gather evidence and push for justice. Yet, even if this is successfully managed, a child has still been abused! The trauma survivor then needs to continue living their life, despite the horror of their experiences.

Depending on the severity of the crime, it's more than likely that the perpetrator will be released from prison at some stage, and will need to reintegrate into society. If this person hasn't received the therapy and support needed to deal with their impulses, urges and behaviour, they will likely pose a similar threat to other children upon release. This is just one path of many to be considered.

How to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: A Holistic Approach

Preventing child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) requires more than strong policing and post-incident intervention. True progress depends on a comprehensive, society-wide approach that prioritises prevention before harm occurs. This means empowering children, families, and communities — while also holding institutions accountable and supporting at-risk individuals before they offend.
Key pillars of an effective prevention strategy include:

• Education for Children: Teaching young people about consent, online safety, and personal boundaries empowers them to recognise and report harmful behaviour.
• Support for Parents and Carers: Digital literacy and open communication at home can help adults identify warning signs of grooming or exploitation and respond appropriately.
• Community Awareness and Responsibility: Encouraging a culture of vigilance and clear reporting mechanisms increases the likelihood of early intervention when concerning behaviours emerge.
• Stronger Online Regulation: Governments and platforms must work together to limit the circulation of exploitative material and reduce exposure to harmful content.
• Early Support for At-Risk Individuals: Addressing psychological and social vulnerabilities early, through targeted intervention, reduces the likelihood of harmful behaviours developing.
• Reducing Harmful and Unhelpful Stigma: Public campaigns should promote social deterrence against abusive behaviour, while also removing the shame that prevents victims or those at risk from seeking help. Initiatives such as the IWF’s Think Before You Share campaign and the 2PS project show the power of open, responsible dialogue.

By embedding these prevention strategies across all levels of society, we can move from reacting to abuse — to reducing its likelihood in the first place. Watch this powerful animation, "2PS - Prevention is Child Protection", which makes a compelling case for the crucial role of prevention in safeguarding children. 

More Pathways: a Report on Online CSAE

While prevention must operate at a societal level, it is equally important to understand the individual pathways that can lead to harmful behaviour. Consider, for example, a teenager who begins to experience distressing sexual thoughts toward younger children. If this young person is unable to access psychological support or speak openly with a trusted adult, the consequences can be severe. Without intervention, they may act on their urges, placing children at risk. Alternatively, they may internalise shame and guilt, leading to self-harming behaviours, social withdrawal, or in extreme cases, suicide. These scenarios underscore the urgent need for accessible, stigma-free mental health support and early intervention services tailored to those in psychological crisis.

Another pathway could involve someone with additional risk factors. Consider someone who has experienced their own traumatic event as a child (adverse childhood experience, ACE). Let’s assume they suffered abuse at the hands of a caregiver, sibling, or guardian. Suppose this person is neglected through various childhood development stages and does not receive the building blocks and faculties needed to deal with life's many obstacles. Consequently, they begin to try and cope through various mediums, taking drugs or abusing alcohol.

They may even use pornography to distract themselves from their intrusive thoughts, seeking temporary relief through sexual content. This person starts viewing sexual content compulsively, increasing the frequency and severity each time. It might not be long before they begin searching for and viewing CSAM.

This last example may seem presumptuous; owever, large proportions of CSAM viewers reported they were not actively seeking such material when they were first exposed, according to CSAM Users in the Dark Web: Protecting Children Through Prevention.

Another hugely important finding from this report was that "70% of those who answered said they first saw child sexual abuse material when they were under 18. Of those, 40% said they were under 13 when first exposed to illegal images of children". Furthermore, research illustrates the corelation between ACE and the consumption of CSAM, particularly amongmen. Preventative strategies can help overcome a myriad of future problems, as illustrated in this animation.

A Proactive Strategy to Combat Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

These figures give an insight into the potential of reaching people early and providing help and alternative pathways in a proactive format as one strategy to avoid future abuse and victims.

Of course, the required holistic approach means that traditional reactive policing must complement these efforts. Similarly, we must take other proactive investigative steps to infiltrate online communities where people are actively engaging with illegal materials and supporting each other in avoiding police detection.

Furthermore, there are enormous demands for increased training and education. Legislative and policy changes must also support the work required to address our challenges.

Perpetrator prevention still offers hope for protecting children, and we must embrace the evidence-based methods and services that the 2PS project will identify and promote through its online catalogue.

It is equally crucial to note that prevention is a multi-faceted topic. We must address all levels, ensuring support is available from grassroots education and information initiatives to perpetrator rehabilitation programmes.

In summary, PPHS advocates for prevention, detection and investigation and support to victims and survivors, in line with the EU's strategy for a ‘More Effective Fight Against Child Sexual Abuse’. The document outlines various efforts to counter the growing threat of CSA and exploitation in our online and offline communities.

The 2PS project and other initiatives undertaken by PPHS are actively working to advance the necessary steps for progress. Please reach out if you work in this domain and are interested in collaborating with the PPHS team.