The Impact of Online Sexual Abuse on Children and Young People

Hanson, Elly

doi:10.1002/9781118977545.ch6

Cited by 10 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Scoping reviews are used to assess of the density and quality of evidence on a particular issue. The lack of research in this area is in itself a key finding and many authors identify this as an emerging area of research (e.g., Beckett et al, 2019 ; Hamilton-Giachritsis et al, 2020a ; Hanson, 2017 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Four studies were identified that met the study objectives and following Social Science Citation Index and Google searches a total of 11 studies were identified. A review chapter by Hanson ( 2017 ) was retained as, although it did not provide primary data, it included a synthesis of existing papers (and quotes) to forward fresh theoretical perspectives. A paper on sextortion by Wolak et al ( 2018 ) was retained as, although it focused on sextortion, it fits with the working definition of OOCSA as some respondents were victimized as children by strangers.…”

Section: Study 1: Evidence Base Related To Oocsa Victim Harmmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, it would develop an understanding of online specific aspects of criminal behavior that contribute to harm. Hanson ( 2017 ) warns that the distinction between OOCSA and offline offenses is a false dichotomy as there is too much cross-over between crimes. However, researchers and practitioners need to understand how online offending achieves its aversive harm mechanisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Estimating the economic burden attributable to online only child sexual abuse offenders: implications for police strategy

Giles,

Alison,

Humann

et al. 2024

Front. Psychol.

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Evidence is beginning to emerge of the serious negative effects online only child sexual abuse (OOCSA) can have on victims. Establishing the scale and nature of the problem could assist police in prioritizing suspects. In study 1, scoping review identified eleven studies that examined OOCSA's impact on victims. Five themes emerged from narrative review; definitional issues, a new normal, OOCSA grooming processes, comparisons with offline CSA, mechanisms between OOCSA and harm. In study 2, OOCSA national prevalence was estimated by applying 2.9% rate of OOCSA observed from original police data to a lower bound (“sexual communication with a child” crimes recorded by the police), middle (scaling up to estimate undetected offenses) and upper bound estimate of the national offender pool (self-reported sexual solicitation offenders). Recent UK Home Office figures were adapted to establish economic costs. Lifetime costs estimates attributable to OOCSA are £7.4 million (police reports), £59.6 million (including undetected offenders) and £1.4 billion (national prevalence estimates). Over 75% of this is non-financial costs borne by victims in terms of emotional harm and lost output. Government bears around 20% of the cost burden, mostly non-financial costs for police forces. Findings are discussed in relation to evidence-led recommendations for prioritization and wider police actions that can be taken to avoid the considerable economic and social burden associated with OOCSA offenses.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study 1: Evidence Base Related To Oocsa Victim Harmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Estimating the economic burden attributable to online only child sexual abuse offenders: implications for police strategy

Giles,

Alison,

Humann

et al. 2024

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Investigating authorities are also beginning to appreciate the considerable impact of “high harm” offenders; those online offenders who have little intention of meeting children in real life but coerce children to engage in sexual acts through blackmail or coercion. Evidence is beginning to emerge on the impacts of online child sexual abuse and how it can engender levels of sexual harm experienced by online victims comparable to that experienced by offline victims of child sexual offenses (Hanson, 2017 ; Hamilton-Giachritsis et al, 2017 ; Jonsson et al, 2019 ). Any measure of national socio-economic burden needs to take account of this emerging group.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritizing Indecent Image Offenders: A Systematic Review and Economic Approach to Understand the Benefits of Evidence-Based Policing Strategies

Giles

Alison

2021

Front. Psychol.

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In 2013, there were an estimated 50,000 individuals involved in downloading and sharing indecent images of children (IIOC) in the United Kingdom (UK). This poses challenges for limited police resources. We argue that police officers can make most effective use of limited resources by prioritizing those offenders who pose the greatest risk of contact offending, by nature of demonstrable pedophilia, hebephilia or dual offending status and thus, those at highest risk must be dealt with first. What is currently lacking is a clear idea of the potential scale of the problem in socio-economic terms and why, therefore, it is so important that evidence-based approaches to offender detection and investigation continue to be a top priority for funders and policy makers. A systematic literature review was undertaken to address two related questions. First, what is the scale of the problem in the UK, in terms of the number of pedophilic and hebephilic individuals who pose a risk of contact offending against a child? Second, what is the potential socio-economic burden generated by the national IIOC suspect pool if left unattended to by targeted police action? Applying population estimates of pedophilia and hebephilia to the male population (16–89 years), we estimate there are between 2,365–5,991 males with paedophila and 12,218–30,952 males with hebephilia who are likely contact offenders. Applying average prevalence and incidence based costing methods to a conservative estimate of one victim per offender, the combined socio-economic burden from these persons could amount to £236-£597 million (incident costs) increasing to £2.9-£7.3 billion (lifetime costs; £3.3-£8.3 billion including QALY measures). Applying the same costs to CEOP (2013) estimate of 50,000 IIOC offenders we estimate that between 6,000 and 27,500 dual offenders could have already committed past contact offenses, contributing an economic burden of between £97–£445 million (incident costs) increasing to £1.2–£5.4 billion (lifetime costs; £1.4–£6.2 billion including QALY measures). Future contact offenses could contribute a further burden of £16–£18.6 million (incident costs) increasing to £198–£227 million (lifetime costs; £226–£260 million including QALY measures). Drawing upon these findings, we argue for the benefits of a research-informed prioritization approach to target IIOC offenders.

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“…29 In this study, the young women did not mention receiving any incentives from the groomers other than their attention, which ended up being unwanted. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 in the UK has made it illegal to contact children with the intent of grooming; 30,31 however, in one of the case studies the police did not get involved and in the other the young woman felt she was not going to receive justice for the crime, despite the case being live with the Crown Prosecution Service. Research has shown that a police officer can have an impact on the victim's experience of the abuse.…”

Section: Conceptualizing Online Grooming Behavioursmentioning

confidence: 99%

It Is Not Your Fault, Tell Someone: Case Studies of Young Women’s Experiences of Online Grooming in England

Smith

Short

Rai

et al. 2023

Journal of Victimology and Victim Justice

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This research study aimed to explore how young people experience cybercrime, with the study being inductive. Thus, the type of crime(s) emerged from the convenience sample and so happened to be online grooming of young women. Using the case study method, two semi-structured interviews were conducted with young women who were ages 12 and 16 (at the time of the study) with in-depth information provided for each case. The data were then triangulated between the research team and the Victim Service who co-created the study (including materials) and co-produced the manuscript. This method of triangulation also occurred to ensure the similarities and differences identified in the discussion. Similarities included that both young women had a trusted adult to tell and that they were not to blame. Differences occurred with the police involvement as well as contradictions in the advice of ‘just block them’. This study calls for better school-based interventions and police response using actual case studies for training and education. Suggestions for future research are further explored and include more tailored quantitative projects, further case studies and other qualitative methods, and a standardized curriculum for safety that can be devised with the Victim Service. Most importantly, if online grooming occurs, this is not because the individual has done something wrong or deserves it, rather they should tell an adult and seek help to end the behaviour.

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The Impact of Online Sexual Abuse on Children and Young People

Cited by 10 publications

References 46 publications

Estimating the economic burden attributable to online only child sexual abuse offenders: implications for police strategy

Estimating the economic burden attributable to online only child sexual abuse offenders: implications for police strategy

Prioritizing Indecent Image Offenders: A Systematic Review and Economic Approach to Understand the Benefits of Evidence-Based Policing Strategies

It Is Not Your Fault, Tell Someone: Case Studies of Young Women’s Experiences of Online Grooming in England

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