What Can You Do to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Online?
Protecting Children Online: Exploring the Tactic of Prevention
The online world is moving fast. In the last three decades, our lives have transformed beyond recognition. From days when we were connecting online from old-LAN computers and cell phones, we now find ourselves immersed in an uncontrolled digital revolution, with Artificial Intelligence and the realms of the Metaverse knocking at our screens.
Yet, as our digital world expands, so do its challenges. Beneath the wonders of the online world lies a darker reality, which contains new forms of dangers such as identity theft, data breaches, violence and discrimination. Worst among these harms, child sexual abuse and exploitation is increasing and evolving every year.
As the digital world hasn’t been designed with child safety in mind, we must do everything we can to patch up this flaw.
Take a Stand for Child Safety Online!
Child sexual abuse and exploitation is happening online, often out of our sight, but with real consequences for the children around us. To prevent harm, it is essential to comprehend the workings of the online world and implement measures that safeguard children from online sexual abuse—without resorting to a complete prohibition of internet access or other restrictive measures. It’s about knowing and using a range of methods and tools to both protect and empower children in their digital lives.
Preventing harm online requires a mix of solutions, including being aware of the issue and its risks, ensuring professional training, listening openly to children’s experiences online, and using technological tools to protect children online.
Scroll Down to Learn how to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Online!
With a focus on the tools to prevent child sexual abuse online, ECPAT calls on government officials, tech companies, professionals, and caregivers to unite and activate on this issue. How? The answers lie in becoming aware of the risks and manifestations of child sexual abuse online and learn which tools are available to fight this horrendous crime. It’s a collective responsibility to educate ourselves and act, ensuring children benefit from the internet and are protected from harm.
It’s time to break the silence and protect children online. Together, we can create a digital landscape where children thrive in safety, free from the shadows that threaten their well-being.
Take Action Now and Learn How to Protect Children Online!
Learn more:
Meet ECPAT Project Beacon – Putting children’s rights into the heart of digital policy
What do the EU citizens really think about data privacy and child protection online?
How far are we to ensure Child Safety Online in the EU? A timeline of events.
Towards online child protection in the EU
Why Does Online Child Protection Matter? Here is ECPAT Project Beacon to explain why
ECPAT welcomes European Commission’s proposal to prevent and combat child sexual abuse
Latest activities:
What is ECPAT doing to ensure Child Safety Online in the EU?
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: Pakistan
in 2025Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Morocco National Workshop: Protect Children in Sports Events
in 2025Available in: English
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
MENA Workshop 2025: Tech-Facilitated Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children
in 2025Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Nerfing gender roles and rigid masculinity: A practical guide to gender-sensitive game safety and design
in 2025Available in: English
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Panorama de País: Venezuela
in 2025Available in: Spanish
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: Palestine
in 2025Available in: English , Arabic
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- Statements and Press Releases
Joint ECLAG – DOT Europe Position Paper on Artificial Intelligence generated Child Sexual Abuse Material
in 2025Available in: English
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Technology-facilitated Child Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Niger
in 2025Available in: English , French
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- Child & Survivor Participation
Erbil Workshop Report: Uniting to End Violence Against Children in Iraq
in 2025Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Global Report: The Role of the Informal Sector and the Sharing Economy Within Travel and Tourism in the Prevention and Response to the Sexual Exploitation of Children
in 2025Available in: English , Spanish , Portuguese
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- Travel & Tourism
Core Competencies Framework for Tourism Education Professionals
in 2025Available in: English , Spanish
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- Travel & Tourism
Global Case Study: How to regulate the issue of voluntourism with children
in 2025Available in: English , Spanish
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Understanding risks and instances of online child sexual exploitation and abuse in urban and rural settings
in 2025Available in: English
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Addressing the need for comprehensive sexuality and relationships education to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse
in 2025Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Gender considerations in online child sexual exploitation and abuse: a focus on boys
in 2025Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Evaluation of The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism
in 2024Available in: English , Spanish
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Girls & Young Women-Led Assessment on Online Sexual Exploitation, Abuse & Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in Africa
in 2025Available in: English
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Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation in Central Asia Report
in 2024Available in: English , Russian
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
VOICE Child Friendly/Accessible Report
in 2025Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Protecting Children in Travel and Tourism Case Study: Phang Nga, Thailand
in 2025Available in: English , Thai
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- Uncategorized
Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation in Europe Report
in 2024Available in: English
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- Justice
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
ECLAG Memos on the EU Child Sexual Abuse Directive
in 2024Available in: English
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Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation in the Americas: San José Dialogue Report
in 2024Available in: English , Spanish
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Nigeria — Country Overview
in 2024Available in: English
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Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: South Asia Regional Workshop Outcome Report
in 2024Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: Los Angeles, USA
in 2024Available in: English
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- Uncategorized
Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Regional Workshop: West, Central, and North Africa Outcome Report
in 2024Available in: English , French
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- Child & Survivor Participation
Voices of survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse on justice and effective remedies
in 2024Available in: English
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- Law Enforcement
Role of Police in Prevention – The Philippines Case Study
in 2024Available in: English
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- Law Enforcement
Role of Police in Prevention – Indonesia Case Study
in 2024Available in: English
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- Law Enforcement
Role of Police in Prevention – Global Scoping
in 2024Available in: English , Spanish
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- Travel & Tourism
Analyse Situationnelle De L’exploitation Sexuelle Des Enfants Dans Le Contexte Des Voyages Et Des Transports En Côte d’Ivoire
in 2023Available in: French
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: Calais, France
in 2024Available in: English , French
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- Gender Dimensions
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Gender, Safety, and Help-Seeking Behaviours in Online Gaming Environments – Brief Paper
in 2024Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Analyse Situationnelle De L’exploitation Sexuelle Des Enfants Dans Le Contexte Des Voyages Et Des Transports Au Burkina Faso
in 2023Available in: French
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- Travel & Tourism
Analyse Situationnelle De L’exploitation Sexuelle Des Enfants Dans Le Contexte Des Voyages Et Des Transports en Guinée
in 2023Available in: French
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Executive Summary – VOICE Speaking Up For Change: Children’s and Caregivers’ Voices for Safer Online Experiences
in 2024Available in: English , Bengali , Croatian , Dutch , Estonian , French , German , Italian , Portuguese , Spanish , Thai
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Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Regional Workshop: Bangkok Outcome Report
in 2024Available in: English
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National Workshop Tunisia: Uniting to end violence against children in Tunisia
in 2024Available in: English
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National Workshop Jordan: Uniting to end violence against children in Jordan
in 2024Available in: English
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Sexual Exploitation of Children in Humanitarian Contexts: Case Study Kenya
in 2024Available in: English
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Sexual Exploitation of Children in Humanitarian Contexts: Case Study Ethiopia
in 2024Available in: English
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Sexual Exploitation of Children in Humanitarian Contexts: Case Study Kurdistan Region of Iraq
in 2024Available in: English , Arabic , Kurdish
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Sexual Exploitation of Children in Humanitarian Contexts – Executive Summary
in 2024Available in: English , French , Spanish
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- Humanitarian & Migration
- Uncategorized
Respuestas a la explotación sexual de niñas, niños y adolescentes en el contexto humanitario generado por la crisis de migración venezolana: Caso de Perú y Colombia
in 2024Available in: Spanish
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Sexual Exploitation of Children in Humanitarian Contexts: Global Research
in 2024Available in: English
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
VOICE Report – Speaking Up For Change: Children’s and Caregivers’ Voices for Safer Online Experiences
in 2024Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
Action Report: Shifting the Narrative To Build a Culture of Child Safety In Online Gaming
in 2024Available in: English
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Italy — Joint Country Overview
in 2023Available in: English
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- Justice
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
ECPAT joins forces with DOT Europe, CCIA and 50+ tech trade associations and NGOs with a joint statement to the European Union
in 2024Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Child protection standards in the travel and tourism industry: the experience of Mexico and Colombia
in 2024Available in: Spanish , English
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- Gender Dimensions
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Outcome Report: Unpacking the Gender Dimensions of Risky, Harmful, and Help-Seeking Behavior in Online Gaming Environments
in 2023Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Engaging with children to strengthen sustainable tourism strategies that prevent child sexual exploitation
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Behind the Screens: Early Findings from the VOICE Research
in 2023Available in: English
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- Law Enforcement
(Child) Sex Offender Registry: Executive Summary
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
ECPAT and NSPCC child online safety poll: Executive Summaries
Available in: English , German , Bulgarian , Czech , Estonian , Finnish , French , Greek , Hungarian , Italian , Dutch , Polish , Portuguese , Spanish , Swedish
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- Online & Tech-Facilitated
ECPAT and NSPCC child online safety poll: Questionnaires
in 2023Available in: Bulgarian , Austrian , Czech , Dutch , English , Estonian , French , Finnish , German , Greek , Italian , Hungarian , Polish , Portuguese , Spanish , Swedish
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- Travel & Tourism
Overview of research findings: Sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and transport in Burkina Faso, Côte D’ivoire, Guinea and Niger
in 2023Available in: English , French , Spanish
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- Travel & Tourism
Bolivia Promising Practice: The role of the travel and transportation industry in preventing and addressing the sexual exploitation of children
in 2023Available in: Spanish , English
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Technical Considerations for the Development of (Child) Sex Offender Registries
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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(Child) Sex Offender Registry: Working Paper
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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- Travel & Tourism
The Netherlands – Regulating voluntourism as part of child protection standards for the travel and tourism industry
in 2023Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Case Study: Ireland – Regulating voluntourism as part of child protection standards for the travel and tourism industry
in 2023Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Protective Environments: a model to prevent child sexual exploitation in travel and tourism context — Colombia case study and Costa Rican experiences
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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- Justice
Overview on Extrateritoriality and Extradition Legislation for Offences of Sexual Exploitation of Children
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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- Travel & Tourism
Norway Promising Practice: The role of the travel and transportation industry in preventing and addressing the sexual exploitation of children
in 2023Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Summit 2023: Summary Report
in 2023Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Summit 2023: Outcomes Report
in 2023Available in: English , Spanish
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- Justice
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Fact-check: Top 9 claims made on the Regulation to fight Child Sexual Abuse
in 2023Available in: English
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- Uncategorized
ECPAT Regional Workshop 2023: In-Depth Event Review
in 2023Available in: English
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- Uncategorized
ECPAT Regional Workshop 2023: Summary and Action Plan
in 2023Available in: English
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- Travel & Tourism
Taking stock – Implementation of the recommendations of the Global Study on Sexual Exploitation of children in Travel and Tourism and the Call for Action from the International Summit on Child Protection in Travel and Tourism
in 2023Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: Cambodia
in 2023Available in: English
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: South Korea
in 2023Available in: English
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- Justice
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
Open Letter to the LIBE Committee Rapporteur on the proposed EU regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse
in 2023Available in: English
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- Justice
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
ECPAT Joins the Submission to the UN Global Digital Compact – Key Priority Issues on Child Rights and the Digital Environment
in 2023Available in: English
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- Justice
- Online & Tech-Facilitated
ECPAT Contributes To The UN Global Digital Compact Consultation
in 2023Available in: English
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- Justice
Republic of Moldova — Joint Country Overview
in 2023Available in: English , Romanian
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- Gender Dimensions
Global Boys Initiative Case Study: Thailand
in 2023Available in: English , Thai
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Finland — Joint Country Overview
in 2023Available in: English
