What is it?
A research report commissioned by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) exploring children’s and young people’s perspectives on:
- Being online;
- Risks of online sexual harm;
- Education received about online sexual harm within state school settings;
- How such education could be improved; and
- What else should be done to better protect children and young people from online sexual harm.
Findings are based on surveys, focus groups and interviews with young people.
IICSA is investigating institutional responses to child sexual abuse and exploitation facilitated by the internet
Key findings
- Listening to the views of children and young people is critical in ensuring the on-going development of protective efforts are relevant and beneficial
- Children and young people need to be prepared for exposure to the risk of online sexual harm before they start spending time online
- Children and young people value the opportunities that being online offers, and find overly negative and avoidance-based messaging unhelpful
- Schools have a vital role to play in education about online sexual harm
- Education about online sexual harm should do more to ensure children and young people do not believe responsibility for preventing online sexual harm lies with them
- Families, industry and wider society need to play their part in tackling online sexual harm
Where to find it
Download and read the research report from IICSA’s website.