Experts unveil practical plan to end technology-facilitated child sexual abuse crisis: Prevention Framework launched with Global Threat Assessment 2025

WeProtect Global Alliance report finds latest shifts in tech and society are endangering children and unveils new cross-sector tool for preventing abuse.

LONDON, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Threat Assessment 2025 from WeProtect Global Alliance finds that global safeguards to protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse are failing to keep up with the rapidly evolving crisis.

The report shows that despite growing international momentum and legislation to tackle the issue and improved detection and removal of harmful content, both technological and societal shifts have heightened the risks to children online since 2023.

The research provides a comprehensive synthesis of globally available data, expert analysis, youth and survivor perspectives and case studies from organisations working on the frontline of tackling technology-facilitated sexual abuse, conducted by the CPC Learning Network at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, with contributions from a global Expert Steering Committee.

Iain Drennan, Executive Director of WeProtect Global Alliance said:

"The Global Threat Assessment 2025 shows that the online child sexual exploitation and abuse crisis continues to evolve along with rapid technological change, societal shifts and concerning behavioural trends, and persists as an urgent threat to children's safety around the world. Central to this year's report, however, is the message that we already have the solutions; preventative approaches are key to solving this crisis. We need every sector and every country to play their part. The Prevention Framework launched with this year's report provides an accessible and practical tool to enable that."

Technological drivers of abuse

The rapid advancement and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has contributed to an explosion in the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material, with NCMEC seeing a 1,325% increase in reports between 2023 and 2024 (NCMEC). Perpetrators are also adapting to digital spaces such as end-to-end encryption platforms to groom children and evade detection. The report flags additional changes to the digital landscape that have significant potential to impact on children's safety in the coming years, including quantum computing, decentralisation and extended reality.

Societal drivers of abuse

The report finds that the criminal activity of financial sexual extortion has grown to be a major threat, with NCMEC receiving approximately 100 reports of financial sexual extortion every day in 2024 (NCMEC).

The research also identifies a complex web of harms that increasingly overlap and intersect with the issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse. These include the issues of self-harm, terrorist and violent extremist content, and a growing concern around children who display harmful sexual behaviours.

Experts issue urgent call to move to prevention-based strategies 

At the heart of this year's report is a global call to action for a decisive shift from reactive approaches which tackle the problem after abuse has taken place, towards proactive prevention, in line with public-health approaches that have been successful in reducing harms from smoking and car accidents.

It also highlights the economic cost of failing to invest in prevention-based approaches, citing that violence against children can cost countries up to 11% of GDP (Safe Online).

The Prevention Framework launched with the report provides a practical tool for civil society organisations, governments, private sector companies, academia and intergovernmental organisations, to safeguard children online. It is organised around four connected action areas which aim to prioritise safety by design, strengthen regulations, boost services for children, survivors and potential offenders and raise awareness and education in communities.

Cassie Landers, EdD, MPH Assistant Professor and Director of the CPC Learning Network, Columbia University said:

"Fast-emerging technology-driven exposures threaten and thwart children's growth development across all domains. These threats appear faster than our capacity to shape, define and implement safeguards. But as noted in the report, there is an emerging global movement. Children's voices are no longer silent. Rather, they have been uplifted to a vital role helping us to better understand risk factors, comprehend behavioural and physical impact, and identify realistic sustainable solutions."

Full report: http://www.weprotect.org/global-threat-assessment-25/

Extended release, fact sheet, and supporting quotes for press: Experts unveil practical plan to end technology-facilitated child sexual abuse crisis: Global Threat Assessment 2025 - WeProtect Global Alliance