Protect Children at PIER24: Advancing Online Safety for Children
Our team recently attended the inspiring #PIER24 conference, which brought together leading experts and advocates dedicated to tackling...
top of page
2PS: Prevent and Protect Through Support
EU-funded project to reduce child sexual abuse and exploitation
EU-funded project to reduce child sexual abuse and exploitation
Protect Children is participating in the EU-funded Prevent & Protect Through Support (2PS) initiative that started in October 2022. 2PS is a 3-year project that aims to help prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) by informing and educating individuals with a sexual interest in children about the support services and rehabilitation options they have. By addressing such individuals directly, we hope to positively influence the reduction of CSAE victims by preventing crimes from occurring.
Throughout the 3 years, the consortium of 2PS will work on a variety of pressing topics and actions to help address the growing issues of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE), particularly in the online environment (OCSAE).
2PS is coordinated by the Polish Platform for Homeland Security – an experienced Non-Governmental Organisation working in the Security Research Domain in Europe. For more information about 2PS’ partners, please visit the EU’s CORDIS site. The project team consists of specialists spanning multiple fields of expertise – together, this consists of 20 formal partners from 14 countries. The team includes National Helplines, Universities, Outpatient Clinics, Psychologists and Sexologists, Law Enforcement, Technology partners, NGOs and Legal experts. The team strives toward positive change and we are dedicated to implement steps that can and will protect children.
High prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among child sexual abuse material users
The research results from Protect Children’s 2KNOW Project indicate that many child sexual abuse material offenders were subject to frequent emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect in their childhood. This article focuses on one of the commonly reported adverse childhood experiences among CSAM users – early exposure to child sexual abuse material or violent pornography and its intersection with the perpetration of crimes of sexual violence against children.
Excessive use of adult pornography as a possible pathway to CSAM offending
Protect Children’s new research in Project 2KNOW reveals that a considerable proportion of respondents reported habitually viewing adult pornography before starting to search for CSAM. Out of this population, a half reported viewing pornography every day. Although excessive use of pornography can be one of the pathways to child sexual abuse material use, it is important not to establish a causal relationship between healthy and regular use of adult pornography and viewing child sexual abuse material.
As a part of the 2PS Project, Protect Children produced two research-based articles published on the 2PS website.
Project 2PS is a part of the Sparks in the Dark initiative
Sparks in the Dark is a community site to showcase EU-funded projects and other initiatives countering CSAE, raising awareness among professionals, policymakers and citizens.
The primary goal is to help simplify the broad landscape connected with CSAE actions, complementing the EU’s strategy. Like the strategy, the website focuses on three key pillars: prevention, detection & investigation, and support to victims and survivors.
Sparks in the Dark combines various resources from projects in one place to help raise awareness about the critical points needing to be addressed.
Recent 2PS News
Recent 2PS publications
The new ReDirection video produced in strong collaboration between 2PS Project and Protect Children emphasises the paramount importance of prevention of crimes of sexual violence against children
The video highlights two prevention resources that help to protect children before the harm occurs - the ReDirection Self-Help Program and stepto.support platform.
The ReDirection Self-Help Program is an anonymous rehabilitative resource developed by the Protect Children in collaboration with psychologists Nina Nurminen & Mikko Ylipekka, Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency. In the program, users learn about the underlying factors and motivations that lead to use of CSAM, and reflect on their own concerns about their behaviour, and how their behaviour aligns with their values. The users are asked to reflect on their motivations and justifications of their behaviour. The program challenges misconceptions and teaches methods to stop viewing CSAM. It also covers relapse and supports users to maintain their behavioural change.
stepto.support platform - is a platform being developed by the 2PS Project that provides a dynamic overview of available services and therapy tailored to the users’ needs. The platform is designed to assist anyone seeking support to live a positive and harm-free life, increase overall wellbeing, make safe choices and avoid problematic behaviour. stepto.support platform will go live in 2024.
bottom of page