Rising use of illegal sexual content among young people prompts launch of therapeutic programme: ReDirection Youth
The new programme helps young people address harmful online sexual behaviour, filling a gap in existing services.
Today, child-rights organisation Protect Children has launched ReDirection Youth, a free anonymous online resource for young people who are concerned about their own sexual behaviour online.
Harmful sexual behaviour among youth continues to grow
For example, in England and Wales, proven sexual offences committed by children rose for the third consecutive year in 2024 to 2025. More than half of these offences related to indecent or extreme pornographic images and videos, which may concern illegal images of children.
Research shows that viewing illegal images of children often begins in adolescence. Our recent study surveying more than 20,000 individuals who had searched for child sexual abuse material online found that 57% had first searched for it when they were under 18, and 12% before the age of ten. One in five respondents were under 18 themselves.
Many described encountering sexual content unintentionally and escalating from viewing legal pornography, often from a very young age, towards more extreme material.
Use of sexual material depicting children hurts both the child victim and the underage viewer
Child victims and survivors depicted in illegal images are often subjected to complex and ongoing trauma. They may experience repeated revictimisation, suffer from the knowledge that their abuse images may be circulating online, and endure severe psychological and physical impacts.
On the other hand, when other children encounter such material, whether recorded or generated by Artificial Intelligence, it may also constitute an adverse childhood experience. Such exposure can impose lasting effects on the child's health and wellbeing, affecting life opportunities, increasing risks of victimisation, and possibly escalating to the use of more extreme material.
Supporting young people who display concerning sexual behaviour online prevents harm on both sides.
ReDirection Youth fills a gap in early preventative support
Opportunities for young people to access preventative support for concerning sexual behaviour are extremely limited. Many existing services are designed for adults or only become available once behaviour has escalated.
ReDirection Youth addresses this issue: ”It has been developed specifically for young people who are beginning to recognise worrying signs in their online sexual behaviour. We cannot rely on responding only after harm has occurred – young people need opportunities to access support earlier.” says Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, CEO, Senior Specialist, Psychotherapist at Protect Children.
ReDirection Youth is available free of charge online and can be used anonymously. It is an accessible, self-guided programme based on cognitive behavioural therapy that leads young people towards meaningful change without judgement.
The programme helps youth examine how their harmful behaviour developed, what situations and emotions trigger it, and what practical steps to take to prevent the search of violent sexual material.
