Preventing child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) is a key EU priority. Knowledge on prevention pathways and face-to-face (F2F) treatment services for at-risk individuals is limited. This study maps the availability and distribution of institutional, self-referral F2F services in six EU countries participating in Project Bridge, an EU-funded initiative connecting individuals with sexual interest in children at risk of committing CSAE to preventive care, to identify gaps a

The protection of children from sexual abuse is of paramount importance to society, and the threat of this abuse has only grown in recent years. Those who pose this threat, child sex offenders, have been found to congregate in online communities where they can trade abusive material and interact with each other. Despite concerns raised in research about the harmful influence of these communities on their members, they remain greatly understudied.

The research will explore how different technology ecosystems facilitate and drive abuse, and how they influence offender’s behaviours.

Google Search deploys a "Onebox" feature at the top of the results page when users conduct searches for Child Sexual Abuse Material. This study evaluates the impact of a strategic shift in this feature, comparing a revised intervention, focused on repercussions and therapeutic resources, to a previous iteration that focused on reporting.

Warning messages have been used to disrupt individuals seeking online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and promote engagement with support services, yet large-scale field evidence on message content remains limited, particularly in high anonymity environments. This study reports a field experiment on Ahmia.fi, a Tor search engine, examining how warning message content influences behavior. Across a 140-day period, almost 20 million searches were observed, with over 3 million

The proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on digital platforms poses a critical challenge for online safety, especially for children. Despite global efforts to combat CSAM, opportunities for exposure remain widespread, with limited research on its developmental and psychosocial impacts.

The research will explore how different technology ecosystems facilitate and drive abuse, and how they influence offender’s behaviours.

Online warning messages are a promising tool to tackle use of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This report maps the current evidence and practice landscape of online CSAM warning messages.

This report examines the growing and evolving threat of image-based child sexual violence, amplifies the voices and experiences of victims and survivors, and highlights the urgent need for prevention and protection measures in Central Asia and beyond.

Child sexual abuse affects an estimated 1 in 7 boys, yet their experiences are often overlooked. This report amplifies the voices of 1,431 male survivors from the Global Our Voice Survivor Survey, revealing distinct patterns of abuse, disclosure, and long-term impact, and calling for action to ensure boys and men receive the prevention, support, and care they need.

REPORT The innovative research, conducted by Protect Children, gathered responses from over 54,000 anonymous child sexual abuse material...

Last week, the Protect Children team joined the IPPPRI25 conference!

Protect Children has been awarded for its holistic, research-based approach to tackling online child sexual abuse and exploitation (OCSAE). We received the presitigious 'Academic Contribution Award' at the 2025 Excellence in Online Protection gala event.

REPORT Our Voice Survivors in the UK: Experiences of Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation New #OurVoice report...

RESEARCH ARTICLE. The study investigates the differences between CSAM offenders who self-report having been charged for sexual offenses agai

This week marked a significant milestone in our work to protect children from online sexual violence. Over two impactful days in Brussels, w

REPORT Global Our Voice Survivor Survey: Experiences of Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Across 29 Languages New report presenting invaluable findings from 22,285 victims and survivors from all over the world who have shared their experiences through the Global Our Voice Survivor Survey. This report aims to amplify the voices and wisdom of victims and survivors of sexual violence in childhood, and raise awareness about the profound and long-lasting impac

REPORT 2KNOW: Collecting Data on Hidden Online Crimes. A Case Study on Surveying Online Child Sexual Abuse Offenders. This new report,...

RESEARCH ARTICLE Groundbreaking study delving into why some CSAM offenders seek help while others do not.

REPORT The groundbreaking report reveals the intricate web of factors that drive OCSAE offending. The report offers critical insights...