Abstract

Online Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is the most rapidly growing area of online threat to child protection. It is manifested in the increasing production, availability and distribution of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), and in the utilisation of the internet to facilitate the sexual abuse of children through online grooming and ‘live-streaming’ of sexual abuse, as well as in the trafficking of children for sexual offending purposes. The onlinePROTECT research collaboration was set up in 2014 to promote, carry out, and communicate multi-agency research on the safety of children and young people in online and offline environments. Our work to date has focused on those engaged in the making, distribution and accessing of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), in which we work alongside the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, the Metropolitan Police Service, CEOP, Europol, Interpol, and Project Dunkelfeld in Germany. This session presents an overview of current issues in understanding and tacking online CSE, and presents findings from our initial aetiological research with CSEM offenders, which led in turn to the development of the onlineProtect case formulation model. This model combines aetiological, situational, and personality/mental health factors in formulating pathways to CSEM offending. Initial findings on its therapeutic utility from peer-consultations and a controlled feasibility study will be presented. The session will also discuss implications for deterrence, desistence, and preventative approaches in addressing a category of offending for which prosecution and risk management of convicted offenders alone has proved insufficient.