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Our global network works to remove Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) online. There are a variety of initiatives around the globe that support offenders by providing help to prevent them from committing the crimes of sexually abusing or viewing the sexual abuse of children.
Numerous countries have dedicated website contact points for individuals that have a sexual interest in children. Find out what resources exist in your country below.
Alternatively, you can find general resources that apply.
Prevention Initiatives &
Opportunities
Broadly speaking there are two ultimate goals of prevention efforts: reducing CSAM consumption and reducing
contact offences.
CSAM consumption is considered as the viewing or downloading of any images or videos that show a child engaged in or depicted as being engaged in explicit sexual activity. Contact offences are those which involve direct contact of a sexual nature with a child.
These two offences are distinct, and it is not the case that viewing CSAM is necessarily a gateway to performing contact offences. While this is the case for some individuals, for others the opposite is true, and people begin with contact offences and later start to consume CSAM.
Collaboration
A huge amount of research is being done on the causes of child sexual abuse and viewing and downloading CSAM, and the relationship between the two. We recognise that those that commit contact offences and who view CSAM are not all the same – they have different motives, directions of travel and risk profiles.
Strategies require scientifically tested methodologies, instead of being developed according to a “something is better than nothing” ideology. The methods used in prevention initiatives must be reflective of this diverse target group. A one-size-fits-all approach is likely to miss all but a minority of those who could be benefited by such services.
Levels of Prevention
Primary prevention: Initiatives are directed at the population at large with the goal of preventing the development of sexually abusive norms developing in our communities or trying to tackle those which might exist.
Secondary Prevention: Initiatives are directed towards groups who are at risk of consuming CSAM or performing contact offences. They detect problematic behaviours and offer opportunities for early intervention to prevent individuals from offending.
Tertiary Prevention: Initiatives are directed at those individuals who have already offended and seek to prevent reoffending.