PLATFORMA: Turning Knowledge into Prevention

Child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) is one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Through increased media coverage, CSAE is often presented as something inevitable. However, prevention is possible. With the right knowledge, tools, and cooperation, we can significantly reduce harm and prevent abuse before it occurs.

This is the central message of the new edition of PLATFORMA. Published by the Polish Platform for Homeland Security (PPHS), the volume brings together experts from across Europe and beyond to share what has been learnt, what gaps remain, and what solutions are already making a difference.

“No single entity can confront child sexual abuse and exploitation in isolation. By working together—investing, coordinating, and innovating—we can build the infrastructure needed to keep children safe. Prevention is child protection.”
Steven Ormston, Communication and Community Manager, PPHS

The work on PLATFORMA was sparked by the EU-funded Prevent & Protect Through Support (2PS) project. Over three years, 2PS adressed various aspects of secondary prevention, created innovative tools such as the StepTo.Support platform, and built a professional training framework for frontline services. Its findings, lessons, and achievements are richly reflected throughout this publication, placed alongside insights from global research and practice of various institutions.

The new edition covers a wide range of pressing issues, including:

• how pornography use can shape pathways into harmful behaviour,
• insights from people at risk of offending that reveal barriers to help-seeking and opportunities for prevention,
• legal and cultural obstacles that limit early intervention,
• innovative digital tools, helplines, and therapeutic platforms offering low-threshold support,
• training frameworks that strengthen professional competence and cross-sector capacity.

PLATFORMA is intended for professionals and institutions committed to safeguarding children—from child protection specialists and law enforcement to social workers, NGOs, researchers, and policymakers—offering them practical tools and insights to strengthen their work.

While the publication takes a global view, it also carries special meaning for Poland. Until recently, much of the national debate has been reactive, centred on punishment and scandal rather than prevention. By showcasing evidence-based models, survivor research, and concrete programmes from Central and Eastern Europe, PLATFORMA highlights opportunities for Poland to strengthen its own approaches and contribute more actively to systemic change.

Read here or download the publication:

Link to download: PLATFORMA 2025.

Looking ahead

The edition is not simply a record of what has been achieved. It is also an invitation to keep building—to strengthen systems, close gaps, and continue working across sectors. As Ormston writes:

“This edition of PLATFORMA brings together insights from the 2PS project and contributions from across the globe—stories of innovation and collaboration—all dedicated to a single goal: preventing harm before it occurs and, when harm has occurred, ensuring we respond with compassion to help people get back on track.”
Steven Ormston, Communication and Community Manager, PPHS

We invite you to read, share, and discuss this publication. It is not just a collection of articles but a call to action—to work together, to care, and to act before harm is done. And if you wish to learn more, connect, or collaborate, please get in touch.

We would like to extend our gratitude to all the contributors whose excellent work in the field and in these pages has made this publication possible. Their knowledge, experience, and dedication are what give PLATFORMA its value.

Special thanks also go to the team at PPHS, who worked tirelessly to bring this edition together. The result goes beyond expectations—a publication that not only informs but also inspires action.