The complexity of the phenomenon of child sexual abuse images online (CSAIO) benefits from cross‐disciplinary collaboration across law enforcement, child protection, and children's mental health. Through focus groups with professionals working in these fields, this article focuses on when and whether professionals who work with child sexual abuse cases should be exposed to viewing CSAIO and if so under what circumstances doing so would benefit investigations and support services for victims. In a broader sense, this article is about professional experience, decision making, training, and collaboration around a particularly difficult professional experience, namely exposure to viewing CSAIO.
Recognizing the need to better understand the operational and organizational stressors as well as the short- and long-term effects of working in the area of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE), the Virtual Global Taskforce international health and wellness study engaged current and former police personnel (inclusive of civilian and sworn officers) working in this area of specialization. Through the use of an online survey, this study engaged current (n = 516) and former (n = 126) personnel and focused on a thematic exploration of several topics of significance: job demands (sources that create distress), general health outcomes (including specific changes since joining or leaving an OCSE unit), health and wellness policies (beneficial aspects, suggested improvements, and desired components if no policy was in place), job resources (sources of positive energy) and personal resources and coping strategies. Recognizing that the health and wellness of police personnel working in OCSE units is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, this study proposes a unique approach to understanding these impacts, effects and stressors by showcasing the findings across three distinct realms of responsibility: the individual level, the management level and organizational level highlighting the ways in which these work toward creating a holistic approach to safeguarding and maintaining the health and wellness of police personnel.
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