Online child sexual abuse is 'as serious online as in person', major survivor study finds

A major international study involving nearly 25,000 survivors of child sexual abuse has found that online sexual abuse can be as serious and damaging as abuse experienced in person, prompting renewed calls for stronger recognition of online harms and improved support for survivors.

The report, published by the Finnish child rights organisation Protect Children in partnership with researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), was presented at the IPPPRI26 conference hosted by ARU's International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute.

Drawing on 24,912 responses in 36 languages to the Global Our Voice Survivor Survey, the research examined survivors' experiences of online and in-person child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The findings suggest that online abuse is frequently intertwined with other forms of exploitation and can have profound long-term consequences. Researchers found that 55 per cent of respondents were first victimised between the ages of 10 and 15, with online abuse survivors being on average 10 years old when the abuse began.

The study also found that perpetrators were often known to the child before the abuse started, with 61 per cent of survivors reporting a prior connection through family or social circles. In nearly half of cases, more than one perpetrator was involved.

Researchers warned that online abuse often occurs alongside in-person abuse and commercial sexual exploitation, creating what they describe as "complex victimisation" that can intensify long-term harm.

Among survivors, 74 per cent reported lasting negative effects including anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, relationship difficulties and self-harm.

The report also highlighted significant barriers to disclosure. More than half of survivors said they did not tell anyone about their experiences because of shame, while 45 per cent believed what had happened to them was "not serious enough".

Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Executive Director, Senior Specialist and Psychotherapist at Protect Children, said: "The findings underscore the severe nature of online child sexual violence, while highlighting the challenges in relation to disclosure, support, and reparation. We call for stronger recognition of this form of abuse to ensure it is not minimised or overlooked."

Dr Lea Kamitz, a researcher from Anglia Ruskin University's International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute who was involved in the report, said: "Research such as this evidences the vital need for legislation, education and support to help prevent this kind of exploitation.

"Online abuse is as impactive as physical abuse, and with the exponential rise in cases right across the world, we must do all we can to understand this through data, insight and lived experience."

Eva Díaz Bethencourt, Specialist and Human Rights Lawyer at Protect Children, added: "Online environments have changed the way child sexual abuse and exploitation can occur. It is essential to recognise online child sexual violence as a distinct and serious form of harm and to ensure all survivors have access to justice and support."

The report estimates that around 300 million children globally experience online sexual violence each year, yet researchers argue the impacts remain widely misunderstood and frequently underestimated.

Alongside the report, ARU, Protect Children and the Internet Watch Foundation launched the ECHO Survivor Hub, a new resource designed to help victims of online child abuse seek the removal of abusive images from the internet and access information about criminal compensation and civil remedies.