To raise awareness and shed light on National Day against Paedophilia, Telefono Azzurro published a report concerning the issue of child sexual abuse and exploitation, exposing the latest data and national trends. In 2021, Telefono Azzurro’s hotline, 114 Child Emergency Service, handled 182 paedophilia and online sexual abuse cases (almost triple compared to 2020, during which 64 cases were handled).

Compared to the previous year, there was an increase in interest related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from 24 in 2020 to 51 in 2021, grooming (from 25 in 2020 to 48 in 2021), and sexting (from 23 in 2020 to 45 in 2021).

Concerning age and gender, the hotline reported a sharp increase in reports from both boys and girls (with 52% of the reports coming from girls). Concerning age, most reports come from adolescents (40%) and pre-adolescents (39%). In conclusion and in regards to the perpetrator, the data show that in 63% of the cases, a stranger or unknown person to the child is involved. Accompanying the report, Telefono Azzurro organised an event together with students with the aim to fulfil a vital duty of civil society: let children participate and be part of the conversation. For this reason, Telefono Azzurro also promoted a child-friendly booklet with advice on how to confront online child sexual abuse. Access the link here