Crime & Justice Research 2022: Online Sexual Exploitation of Children

This compendium brings together 15 recent studies on child sexual abuse published by the Australian Institute of Criminology.

The first six chapters investigate the nature of the problem, including the specific crime commission processes offenders use, the language offenders use to persuade children to produce images and videos, the production of child abuse material by parents, and rates of reoffending.

Chapters 7 to 11 explore solutions to the problem, from cyber strategies and law enforcement interventions to offender treatment programs, biometric software that helps police identify victims appearing in multiple videos, and warning messages that discourage potential offenders from viewing illegal content.

The last four chapters examine live streaming of child sexual abuse, analysing the profile of offenders, whether financial transaction data can reveal the most prolific offenders, and how offenders negotiate with facilitators and access victims.

Download the compendium